Dwarfs

Have you ever seen a Japanese garden? The people of Japan cultivate gardens small enough to be placed on an ordinary table-top. In these can be seen oak and other trees, with trunks, branches, and leaves exactly as we see them in the forests and woods, but ever so much smaller. The little trees are only about eighteen inches high. Very small, yet perfect replicas of full grown trees. Some of these are sixty or seventy years old, although they are so tiny. How is this? The explanation is, that while the plant is quite little, a few buds are nipped off here and there; also, occasionally it is lifted from the soil, and the roots are cut back. These operations are repeated at frequent intervals, with the result that the growth and development is so retarded that, instead of growing into large trees, they remain just "dwarfs."

Sad to relate, it is possible for boys and girls to retard their own growth in goodness. A golden opportunity for performing a good and kind deed comes to them, but a bitter and unkind thought enters into their mind; they heed this thought, and fail to perform the good deed—a "bud has been nipped off." Perhaps there comes an occasion when they might say a kind and helpful word to someone who has wronged or hurt them, but their temper rises and they say: "Why should I; they have hurt me?" and the kind word is not spoken. A piece of the "root" of goodness has been "cut off." There are many other things that boys and girls can do which "nip the buds" and "cut back the roots of goodness," so that instead of becoming stronger, and "growing bigger" in goodness, they remain "dwarfs."

Our Lord Jesus Christ, we are told in the Bible, grew in stature and wisdom, and in favor with God and man. He always was "big" in goodness, and never did anything to stunt or "dwarf" it.

We all need to ask God to help us so to grow, that we may become more like Jesus, do nothing that will stunt or "dwarf" our growth in goodness, and develop into strong, noble, and good men and women.