By any measure the Giant Redwood is an extraordinary tree. Growing mainly on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, they soar hundreds of feet into the sky, and can have trunks wide enough to drive a bus through. The oldest known Redwood has graced the earth for over 3,500 years.
Among their many amazing attributes is the ability to withstand the wildfires that sweep through the mountains. Its fire resistance is due to its bark which is thick and fibrous, holding large amounts of water. So, while the fires burn up the dead wood and smaller trees growing on the forest floor, the Redwoods remain intact. Not only that but the heat from the fire opens the cones, which release their seeds to float down onto the newly cleansed floor below.
The ability to control and withstand fire means the difference between life and death. The Bible uses this image to compare our lives to a building and asks whether we are of sufficient quality to withstand the test of fire, or whether we would be consumed by the flames. The Apostle Paul answers the question by assuring us that a life built on Jesus, like the Giant Redwood, will not only survive but also through the heat be fruitful as well.
