If you have ever spent much time in the Pacific Northwest, you have probably experienced first-hand the majesty of the Sequoia Sempervirens otherwise known as the coast redwood. They are the tallest living thing on earth growing to heights of over 350 feet- that’s taller that a 35-story skyscraper! Their trunks can reach diameters of 20 to 30 feet or more and have bark, up to 12 inches thick. They have been known to live over 2,000 years. Yep, that’s right; some of these trees have been growing even while Jesus was walking the dusty roads of Galilee.
Not the tallest but the most massive is General Sherman, a giant sequoia in Sequoia National Park. General Sherman stands 275 feet tall, has a 102-foot circumference, and weighs an incredible 2.7 million pounds.
Click Here to view a brief video with a unique bird’s-eye view of some of these magnificent trees.
Now with all these impressive facts about the coastal redwoods I was amazed to learn that their root system is very shallow, extending down to depths of only about 10 to 13 feet. So, I wondered how in the world can these gigantic specimens survive for hundreds and even thousands of years.
It seems the root system of a coast redwood tree consists of a combination of lateral roots and a few taproots. The lateral roots spread out horizontally near the soil surface, extending several times the height of the tree. These roots form an intricate network that interlock with the roots of neighboring redwoods, creating a strong support system. Enabling them to withstand the many storms of the Pacific Northwest.
This reminded me of the support system that God has designed for his church.
The ‘one-anothers’ of the New Testament.
“One another” is two words in English, but it’s only one word in Greek: ἀλλήλων (ah-LAY-loan). It’s used 100 times in 94 New Testament verses. 47 of those verses give instructions to the church, more than half of which were penned by the Apostle Paul.
When you look at these verses, a few common themes show up.
Listed below are some of these one-anothers grouped by theme.
Unity:
1. Be at peace with one another (Mk 9:50)
2. Don’t grumble among one another (Jn 6:43)
3. Be of the same mind with one another (Ro 12:16, 15:5)
4. Accept one another (Ro 15:7)
5. Don’t boastfully challenge or envy one another (Ga 5:26).
6. Gently, patiently tolerate one another (Ep 4:2)
7. Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving to one another (Ep 4:32)
8. Bear with and forgive one another (Col 3:13)
9. Seek good for one another, and don’t repay evil for evil (1 Th 5:15)
10. Don’t complain against one another (Jas 4:11, 5:9)
11. Confess sins to one another (Jas 5:16)
Love:
1. Love one another (Jn 13:34, 15:12, 17; Ro 13:8; 1 Th 3:12, 4:9; 1 Pe 1:22; 1 Jn 3:11, 4:7, 11; 2 Jn 5)
2. Through love, serve one another (Ga 5:13)
3. Tolerate one another in love (Ep 4:2)
4. Be devoted to one another in love (Ro 12:10)
Humility:
1. Give preference to one another in honor (Ro 12:10)
2. Regard one another as more important than yourselves (Php 2:3)
3. Serve one another (Ga 5:13)
4. Don’t be haughty: be of the same mind (Ro 12:16)
5. Be subject to one another (Ep 5:21)
6. Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another (1 Pe 5:5)
You get the idea; we are all in this together.
So, the next time that brother or sister in the Lord starts to get on your last nerve … view it as an opportunity to practice obedience to the Word of God. And who knows you might be taking a small step towards becoming more conformed to the image Jesus. (Rom 8:29)