When I look at the destructive power of a deadly weed like kudzu (or any weeds for that matter!), I think of the destructive, deadly power of sin. Through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin (Rom. 5:12). But through Christ’s perfect obedience, we are set free from the penalty of sin. And if the son sets you free, you are free indeed (John 8:36).

The Kudzu

As I wrote this article, I was vacationing in Tennessee. Driving along many highways, it was startling to see the amount of kudzu growing everywhere. Kudzu is a plant native to Asia, but brought to the United States in the late seventeenth century. According to Wikipedia, kudzu has consumed 7,400,000 acres of land in the southeastern US. I say consumed, because kudzu covers, chokes off, and destroys whatever is in its path. The article referenced above is a fascinating read, including how kudzu’s classification in the US went from ornamental plant (1876 and 1883) to its being removed from the list of suggested cover plants in 1953. It then went from being classified as a weed in 1970 to being placed on the Federal Noxious Weed List in 1997.

When I look at the destructive power of a deadly weed like kudzu (or any weeds for that matter!), I think of the destructive, deadly power of sin. Through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin (Rom. 5:12). But through Christ’s perfect obedience, we are set free from the penalty of sin. And if the son sets you free, you are free indeed (John 8:36).

Yet, each and every Christian experiences the ongoing struggle with sin. Sometimes they wonder why that is so, if Christ has set them free. Enter the elm.

The Elm

In April of this year, we had three trees taken down in our yard – two dead pines and one very alive elm, which was far too big and much too close to the house to keep. Having trees removed is a costly affair, but I consoled myself by the fact that we would have wood to burn in our fireplace. The large pieces of trunk sat until July, when we finally had the time to rent a splitter. Much to my surprise, the tree pieces were actually growing shoots. How could this be? The tree was cut in pieces; it was dead, right? Well, obviously there was still a bit of water in the pieces of trunk, such that sprouts could still grow. At least for the time being. Ultimately, however, the tree was severed from the root, and it would be correct to call it dead. Its power was cut off.

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