One of the traditional Advent passages is the scripture from Isaiah 1: “Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.”
There is always focus on this line as being a sign that the lineage of David carries forth all the way down to Jesus and that Jesus is the new life that will spring forth from this ancestral line. This is all true, and it is certainly an important aspect of the Christian tradition. But what if we looked at this passage and this one line, a little bit differently? What if, instead of focusing instantly on the new life to come, we took a while instead to analyze the stump?
In our own lives, there are moments when we feel like a stump. And we can feel that way for a variety of reasons. For many, this “season” of COVID has led to loneliness as folks have been isolated from their loved ones, from their friends and even from their faith communities. Those who are elderly or who have underlying medical issues are understandably concerned about illness and feel the need to stay away from larger gatherings. While this is the safer physical choice, it does not come without a cost of its own … and that cost is feeling cut off and, perhaps, “used up,” much like the stump of a once tall and vital tree.
Additionally, during this holiday season when Norman Rockwell Christmas scenes begin to dominate our media and our minds, those of us who have troubling relationships with families may have that sense of being a stump that’s cut off from the rest of what gave us life. In the holiday season, as we see ads on TV and on Facebook that feature images of families gathering together in idyllic harmony, sometimes we can feel a few branches short of a family tree if our families are spread out, or estranged, or if we are grieving the loss of a loved one.
In other moments, we may simply feel like we are useless or forgotten. Like we are no longer shiny and the green leaves of our youth are no longer as vibrant or enthusiastic as we would like. Or we may feel that we are tired of continually growing in new directions and we may want for a while to settle into “what is” and stop always striving to grow and change.
So how do we find hope in this Advent season when we more closely identify with a withering stump than with a flourishing, growing tree? Commentator John Berquist says that we need to start with the recognition that some days, we feel like stumps. And once we acknowledge this fact, we need to read “the rest of the story.” Scripture goes on to tell us that precisely from a stump such as us, such as you and me, the shoot and the branch grows forth. That means that even in an apparently dormant stump, new life simmers … and one day, when conditions are right, a new shoot will burst forth.
This means that feeling like a stump can be a good thing, but not if we lose sight of the potential that exists within. We need to make room to see not just the problems and the lack in the world, but also to see the potential that exists in every stump. And yes, sometimes for a true shoot to spring forth, it requires some giving up … perhaps of privilege, perhaps of whatever comforts you may have — material or emotional or both, perhaps of an idea or notion or habit that has outlived its usefulness. And yeah, what this scripture seems to be saying to me is that when we do this, when we are willing to let go of the old to make room for the new, when we figuratively sweep all the dead leaves off the stump, we make room for actual growth to happen.
So let’s admit that “Sometimes you fell like a stump, sometimes you don’t!” And when you do, acknowledge the potential within, and sweep of the debris that might be blocking growth, and make room … make room for God to re-enter your life and inspire a new shoot to spring forth.
Athol Congregational Church, UCC is a local community of faith that is “small enough to know you, large enough to serve.” We are currently celebrating “in-person” worship as well as offering Facebook livestream services under “Athol Congregational.” Our pastor and our members are available for conversation on our Athol Congregational Church Facebook page and through private messages, and we would love to connect! We offer long-distance Reiki through our certified practitioners, are willing to pray with you whatever your need, and want to know you, whoever you are. The Rev. Dr. Candi Ashenden is Senior Pastor.
The church is at 1225 Chestnut St., tel. 978-249-6202.