The Story of the Bamboo

Now indeed it was naked and bare – but the love-light in the Master’s face deepened as He took what remained of the tree on His shoulders, and, amid the sobbing of all its companions, bore it away, far over the mountains.

But the tree consented to all for the love of the Master, murmuring faintly, “My Master, anywhere, use even me.”

Arriving at a lonely and desolate place, the Master paused, and again His Hand took a cruel-looking weapon with sharp-pointed blade, and this time thrust it right into the very heart of the tree – for He would make a channel for His Living Water, and only through the broken heart of the tree could the water flow unhindered to the thirsty land.

Yet the tree repined not, but still whispered with breaking heart, “My Master, Thy will be done.”

The Stream of Life 

So the Master with the heart of love and the face of tenderest pity dealt the painful blows and spared not, and the keen-edged steel did its work unfalteringly, till every barrier had been cut away, and the heart of the tree lay open from end to end, and the Master’s heart was satisfied.

Then again He raised it and gently bore it, wounded and suffering, to where, unnoticed till now, a spring of Living Water, clear as crystal, was bubbling up. There He laid it down – one end just within the healing waters.

And the stream of Life flowed in, right down the heart of the tree from end to end, along all the road made by the cruel wounds – a gentle current to go on flowing noiselessly, flowing in, flowing through, flowing out, ever flowing, never ceasing, and the Master smiled and was satisfied.

According to Thy Will

Again the Master went and sought for more trees. Some shrank back and feared the pain, but others gave themselves to Him with full on sent, saying, “Our Master, we trust Thee. According to Thy will, use us.” Then He brought them one by one by the same painful road and laid them down end to end: and, as each fresh tree was placed in position, the Living Stream poured in fresh and clear from the Fountain through its wounded heart, the line growing longer and longer, till at last it reached to the parched land, and weary men and women and little children who had long thirsted came and drank and hastened to carry the tidings to others:

“The Living Water has come at last — the long, long famine is over; come and drink.” And they came and drank and revived, and the Master saw, and His heart was glad.

Then the Master returned to His tree, and lovingly asked, “My tree, do you now regret the loneliness and suffering? Was the cost too high for giving the Living Water to the world?” And the tree replied, “My Master, no, a thousand, thousand times no! Had I ten thousand lives, how willingly would I give them all to Thee for the bliss of knowing, as today I know, that I have helped to make Thee glad.”

A Parable

by B.E. Newcombe

Taken from  “The Story of the Bamboo”

Acknowledgment: Christian Book Room

Photo by Frank Keri