Once upon a time the Master of the garden went for a walk. As the Master drew near, Bamboo, in a passion of adoration, bowed his great head to the ground in loving greeting.
The Master spoke: "Bamboo, Bamboo, I would use you."
Bamboo flung his head to the sky in utter delight. "Master, I’m ready. Use me as Thou wilt."
"Bamboo," the Master’s voice was grave; "I would have to take you and cut you down!"
A trembling shook Bamboo…"Cut …me… down? Me.. whom thou hast made the most beautiful in all thy Garden…cut me down?"
The Master’s voice was graver, “If I cut you not down, I cannot use you."
The garden grew still. Wind held his breath. Bamboo slowly bent his proud and glorious head. There was a whisper: "Master, if thou cannot use me other than to cut me down, then do thy will and cut".
"Bamboo, beloved Bamboo, I would cut your leaves and branches from you also."
After a short exchange Bamboo again agreed, "Master, cut away."
"Bamboo, Bamboo, I would yet… split you in two and cut out your heart, for if I cut not so, I cannot use you."
Then Bamboo bowed to the ground: "Master, Master… then cut and split."
So the Master of the garden took Bamboo… and cut him down… and hacked off his branches… and stripped off his leaves… and split him in two… and cut out his heart.
And lifting him gently, carried him to where there was a spring of fresh sparkling water in the midst of his dry fields. Then putting one end of the broken Bamboo in the spring and the other end into the water channel in His field, the Master gently laid down his beloved Bamboo.
And the spring sang welcome, and the clear sparkling waters raced joyously down the channel of bamboo’s torn body into the waiting fields. Then the rice was planted, and the days went by, and the shoots grew and the harvest came.
In that day Bamboo, once so glorious in his stately beauty, was yet more glorious in his brokenness and humility. For in his beauty he was life abundant, but in his brokenness he became a channel of abundant life to his Master’s world. (Story by Pastor Danny Thomas of Sermon Central)
“Being a Christian is not just about following commandments: it is about letting Christ take possession of our lives and transforming them.” Pope Francis.
The bamboo metaphor is a little scary for us to relate to, but the Master does need us. We need to understand the conversation between Bamboo and the Master as our prayer with God. If we listen and ask, we will understand our sacrifice and our laying down our lives so that we become channels of Grace and Life to the world.
In what way is Jesus asking us to lay down our lives today?
