Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
I Peter 2:1-3
On my drive home from Slinger, a small town about ten minutes from my home, I drove through Pike Lake State Park. It was a gloomy Friday with a late fall chill in the air. I noticed the brilliant color of the forest and decided to meander through the area.
What I saw, as I moved in closer to the woods, was more than just golden mature trees. I stopped to study the forest floor. A multitude of new growth blanked the ground. Trees only a few feet tall swayed in the cool breeze.
Many of these young trees would not make it through the frigid winter. Others would be choked off by thorny weeds come spring. Still some may die in drought-like conditions when the heat of summer comes again. Only a few may survive to become sturdy maple trees.
Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander are the thorny weeds in our lives. We should long for spiritual milk to counter the temptation of evil. God created us with a spiritual well-being along with our physical body.
I hope many saplings will grow within the forest of my family and friends. Winters are cold in Wisconsin. May you keep warm with the Word of God.
Patti Wolf 