There's a Chinese bamboo tree that doesn't grow at all for the first four years. It just develops a massive root structure while the bulb barely shows; in the fifth year, it grows eighty feet. Many things in life are like that bamboo tree. You may not see any initial evidence of what you are about, but if you persist, eventually a tremendous harvest will result.
- Ming-Chi - (My CFS major Advisor)
Keep Watering Your Bamboo Tree - Eric Aronson -
We can work for weeks, months and even years on our dream with no visible signs of progress and then, all of the sudden, things take off.
One of the best examples that I witness is the growth of FGA CYC, from 50 to 500. Nobody noticed the growth in the first few years, but in the recent month, it's almost as if you can actually see the tree growing before your very eyes.
And yes, I agree with a blogger, Don Miller who said, "Yet, all of this requires one thing - faith. The growers of the Chinese bamboo tree have faith that if they keep watering and fertilizing the ground, the tree will break through."
Again, the FGA CYC pioneers have faith in God and keep investing time and effort in the ministry and today, FGA CYC breaks through.
However, we have faith in God for growing our church, what about our dreams, our plans and every piece of our lives?
This is the hard part for most of us, or at least me. We get so excited and enthusiatic about the idea that's been planted inside of us that we simply can't wait for it to blossom. Therefore, within days or weeks of the initial planting, we become discouraged and begin to second guess ourselves.
"Sometimes, in our doubt, we dig up our seed and plant it elsewhere, in hopes that it will quickly rise in more fertile ground." Don Miller.
I see this happens in my surrounding, and at times in myself too.
I have seen people who try changing their "dreams", in the pursuit of greener pastures.
More often than not, these people are greatly disappointed when their "dreams" doesn't grow any faster in the new location.
Other times, we will water the ground for a time but then, quickly become discouraged and fed up. We start to wonder if it's worth all of the effort. I myself had gone through this kind of situation too.
This is particularly true when we see their neighbors having success with other trees. They start to think, "What am I doing trying to grow a bamboo tree? If I had planted a lemon or orange or any other tree, I'd have a few fruits by now."
This is when we walk away from their dream in exchange for a "sure thing."
Sadly, being short-sightedly, what we fail to realize is that pursuing our dream is a sure thing if we just don't give up. The only time we fail is when we quit trying.
Therefore, as long as we keep watering and fertilizing our dream, it will bear fruit some day.
The time taken may be weeks, or months or even years. However, when the roots eventually take hold, our tree will grow. And when it grows, it is strong than any other tree.
Yes, indeed getting a teaching license requires extra watering and fertilizing; taking a long time than others but I am willing to HOLD ON to it. I am sure the fruits that will be born are gonna be great!
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