150 Years to Mature and 3 Minutes to Destroy

Two men were found guilty on Friday of cutting down an iconic British tree, a crime that had captured global headlines. Framed perfectly by two small hills along the remains of the Roman fortification Hadrian’s Wall, the giant sycamore, more than 150 years old, had become a tourist attraction and a symbol of northeast England. It made a notable appearance in the 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” with Kevin Costner.

A ‘Moronic Mission’ Leads to Two Convictions by ALISTAIR MACDONALD, Wall Street Journal, May 10, 2025.

First Photo By Clementp.fr and Second Photo: By Wandering wounder

Construction always takes longer than destruction. It takes years to build a bridge, a road, a brand, a reputation, a marriage, a friendship, or a tree, but less time than it takes to boil an egg—to destroy it. The action is remembered, but often, it is preceded by a great deal of fantasy, planning, greed, or lust. This is why Jesus, the Apostle Paul, the Psalmist, and the Bible often focus on thoughts.  

Jesus– For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Matthew 15:19, NIV. 

Paul–Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2a, NIV.

Psalmist–Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23,24, NIV.

The mind, the thought life, prepares the heart to flee or embrace sin. A man who approaches a woman and tells her he is having immoral thoughts about her is NOT confessing, but fishing for a positive response to act upon. He is hoping his fantasy can be realized. Adultery nearly always occurs in the heart/mind/thoughts before the act finalizes it. Jesus said: But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart, Matthew 5:28, NIV. That, anyone, certainly includes me and most of us. Jesus is not saying the thought is as consequential as the act; he warns us to stop the act in the thought life.

As a pastor, I have heard Jesus’ words used against him. Well, Pastor, goes the reasoning, since Jesus said I had already committed adultery by the thought, why not go ahead? Trust me when I say the thought is less consequential than the act. The act overwhelms and hurts many others.

The Pastor’s study often becomes the Protestant confessional, and hearts are opened, not to be shamed, but to be healed. I have been threatened, had an attempt on my life, had a book thrown at me (I must tell you about this at the end), and all because sin is exposed. The Good News is that forgiveness and reconciliation often occur in the study.

It is not just adultery, but greed that leads to lies and theft, covetousness that leads to envy and hate, or jealousy and insecurity that leads to gossip and harmful speech. I once had a man tell me that he made more in a week than I made in a year. (I was waiting for a gift from him, but instead, I got his look of extreme satisfaction for his comment.)

It is said that: To live long, one must grow old, but maturity is an option.

The young men who cut down the tree will be remembered for their deed. They may do many great things, but there will always be an asterisk by their name. They, too, thought about it before they committed the act. They had to:

1. Discuss and conceive the plan/idea.
2. Consider the global press.
3. Get the chainsaw,
4. Make sure it had fuel,
5. Load it in the car,
6. Get directions to the tree,
7. Drive from Northwest England to Northeast England,
8. Walk toward the tree,
9. Look around,
10. Start the chainsaw,
11. You get the idea.
12. And three minutes later, the tree is down.

We read of acts, but much thought occurred before an act. So, what is the message? What should we do? We might try the Apostle Paul’s advice:

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

What do YOU think?

P.S. The book. I was counseling a man with a severe anger problem. He walked and lived in an attitude of anger. I used an anger workbook to guide us in diminishing his rage. As we were talking, I touched a nerve and said, “You have a severe problem with anger.” He jumped up and threw the anger workbook at me. I just sat there looking at him. We both laughed uncomfortably, and then we cried together.

Dr. James D. Allen

https://www.youtube.com/@overflowinghope180