The Strangler

by Fabienne G. Durdin

It started out as a tiny seed, about the size of a mustard seed, high up in the crook of a branch or in a crevice in the bark of a tree. How did it get there? Probably a bird dropped it, or maybe it blew in with the wind. Of course the tree didn't notice it, nor could it do anything about it.

When conditions were right-there were enough nutrients and moisture around it-the seed put out roots. At first these were tiny, but they grew rapidly. Soon the roots lengthened, heading downwards towards the ground far below. At the same time they gained in overall size, so that by the time they reached the soil they were quite thick. As they made their way down they put out side shoots, reaching out from the main root to the tree trunk alongside which they descended.

The root wasn't the only thing coming out of the seed. A leafy stem started to grow upwards, and after some time it put out more branches and leaves. Soon the tree seemed to have two crowns with different kinds of leaf on each.

Time passed, and now something was happening to the tree. The roots of the plant next to it had multiplied and grown in girth, and they grew around the tree, hugging its trunk and winding themselves around it. The new plant-the strangler fig-was well named. It was starting to kill its host by squeezing its trunk.

When the strangler fig is fully grown it surrounds the host tree completely, and most often the tree finally dies. The only crown of leaves at the top is now the fig's, and the hollow trunk of this new tree is its tangled mat of vine-like roots. All that is left of the original tree is the dried-out trunk which will eventually rot away.

Bitterness is like a strangler fig. At first it creeps into a person's heart unnoticed, when they fails to forgive some hurt another person has done to them. The author of the letter to the Hebrews seems to have been familiar with strangler figs. He may have watched over several years how a strangler fig gradually takes over its host tree. Perhaps he had this in mind as he wrote about the root of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15). He doesn't warn us about its dangers for nothing! Like the tiny fig seed that ends up killing a giant tree, the seed planted by one act of unforgiveness can send its deadly vines to take hold around our heart. Unlike the helpless tree hosting the strangler fig, however, we can do something about unforgiveness.

Once I hold a grudge against someone it is easy to add more grudges, against the same person or other people. The original tiny seed develops terrible, strangling roots of bitterness as I feed it with self-pity, and unforgiveness entwines about my heart. The stem puts out leaves and even fruit-anger and spite sprout and grow. Joy goes out of my life and despair threatens. And hasn't God said that unless we forgive others he cannot forgive us (Matthew 6:14,15; James 2:13)?

However, I am a child of God. Jesus Christ saved me from the rule of sin and bitterness and forgave me my sin by taking on himself all the awful darkness of it. Not only did he undergo a terrible physical death by crucifixion but he suffered the separation from God that was my due. He experienced the horror of bitterness that separates from God those who refuse to forgive. That was part of the incredible price he paid that I might be forgiven. How then can I allow unforgiveness to creep into my soul? No way can I allow it-I must be constantly on the alert, making sure that no matter what wrong anyone else might do to me I do not begin to bear grudges. I must ask God to show me any seed of unforgiveness that might start to take root in my life. Should unforgiveness appear in my life I must confess it and refuse to harbour it. God will gladly answer my prayer that he remove such an ugly thing from my heart. Hasn't he commanded us to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us (Matthew 5:44)? He himself enables us to obey (Philippians 2:13).

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31, 32)

Strangler Fig