Reference Point

Living directly on the cove of a lake makes for some great storms. Our house gives a fantastic view of the lake thanks to the massive deck which wraps around the entire side of the house facing towards the water. There is a large oak tree that actually sits right in the middle of the deck. The contractor who built the deck cut the planks in such a way that a circle is formed around the tree, with a few inches of space along the sides.

When a storm kicks up, the oak tree sways quite a bit in the wind and will rub against the deck making a daunting noise fit for Scream 4 or 5 or whatever they are up to now. Its really a sight to see, watching a massive oak tree move side to side because of the storm. By all logic, you would think something that massive would simply stay put.

In reality, all the trees move with the wind and give way so they don’t snap as easily with a windy storm. The reason our oak tree snags your attention right away is because of the circle in the deck which acts as a reference point. The deck doesn’t move and when you watch the tree sway and creak within the circle, it nearly makes you nauseous…..its awesome.

Just like the deck circle gives you a reference point to see how much the tree moves, the Bible acts as a reference point for our daily lives. Juxtaposing our daily interactions with people and our viewpoints against the Bible helps to make clear the standard we, as Christians, are called to. Continually looking at ourselves in the light of the reference point the Bible provides is a great way to keep us in line with HIS will.