If ever there were a tree that might want to shrink back, it may be the Jack Pine.

In Michigan, this tree houses something that no other tree in the world does: endangered Kirtland Warbler pairs. These lovely yellow and brown songbirds will only breed in young Jack Pine trees.

However, because the tree has tightly closed pine cones, it usually takes extreme heat to burst the cones open and let the seeds disperse. The mature Jack Pine has to submit to either fire or a biologist’s axe so their cones can be harvested, cooked, opened, and the land cleared for reseeding. Without one or the other seemingly tragic situations, there would be little new growth and the Kirtland Warbler would be nearer extinction.

We serve an all-knowing God who can see the whole of His creation.

He can see the Jack Pine people of the world whose tightly closed cones hold hidden blessings. He can see those who flail about, unable to find a place of rest, like the Kirtland Warbler. In His grand perspective, He knows that one needs to wait patiently while He prepares what they need. Sometimes we need the fire of tragedy to allow for blessings a hundredfold.

We can’t shrink back. We must trust that our good God has a good plan.