The Red Leaves are Special - Inspire A Fire

I was nine. My mom contacted my teachers, gathered schoolwork, and loaded a box of activities for the twelve-hour car ride to Beckley, West Virginia. My great-grandmother had passed away, and my family was going to spend a week in the mountains with relatives.

Even at nine years old, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains in the fall. I had never seen such a gorgeous display of nature. Yellows, oranges, browns, and reds covered the trees that were once lush and green. The crisp fall air accompanied by the babbling brooks and chattering creatures stole my heart forever.

As I took in the majestic fall colors, I was drawn to the red leaves more than the rest. The yellows, oranges, and browns were pretty, but the red demanded my gaze and attention. And rightfully so. Red leaves are special.

The Changing Leaves

Every green leaf contains chlorophyll. As the autumn weather sneaks in, the green leaves lose their chlorophyll and prepare to fall off the tree. Many leaves contain a pigment called carotene which shows up as yellow, orange, or brown as the green fades from the leaves. Carotene is the same pigment that gives a carrot its rich, orange color.

But then there are special leaves, like those of a maple. Instead of merely holding onto the pigment that is already there, the leaves create a whole new pigment during this season of dying called anthocyanins. This red pigment acts like a sunscreen for the leaves, protecting them from the intense rays of the sun. These leaves are also known for absorbing more nutrients from the plant for a longer amount of time than other leaves without anthocyanins.

And do you know what is fascinating? The more stress these trees go through during the year, the more anthocyanins that are produced, and the redder the leaves become. One would imagine droughts and disease would weaken the color, but instead, the hardship makes the color even stronger.

The Spiritual Parallel

These leaves present such a beautiful parallel between the physical and spiritual. All of us are given the chlorophyll of life, but as we grow older the life begins to leave us. We, like the leaves, are dying and our pigment fades with age.

But for those of us who know Jesus, we are like the maples. Jesus acts as our spiritual pigment, our anthocyanins. His Spirit in us creates a brand-new version of ourselves as we learn to daily die to self and sin. The covering and protection of His presence in our lives shields us from the harsh extremes of this cruel world and allows us to soak up nutrients if we stay connected to the stem.

And when we go through tough times, like disease and drought, the richer pigment of Christ shines through.

Isn’t It Just Like Jesus?

That week in West Virginia was one filled with many emotions. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were overcome with sadness at the death of my great-grandmother. Stories were shared. Tears were shed. Hearts were broken.

The nine-year-old version of me didn’t understand all of it. I just knew Grandma left a huge hole. Her family members grieved and had to learn how to go through life without their mother, sister, aunt, cousin, or grandmother. Death of a loved one is hard to overcome.

During the majestic Appalachian fall, isn’t it just like Jesus to remind us that the hard stuff, the struggles, and the droughts can produce the reddest leaves of hope in our lives? He doesn’t waste the broken times. Instead, He allows His glory to be displayed because of the pain.

As we enter this autumnal season and begin to feel the nip of coolness in the air, let’s think about the leaves. About the life that Jesus breathed into this dying leaf. The way He uses hardship to produce His majestic fruit in my life. And how He is always acting as my shield and protector, no matter what may come.

Oh, thank you, Jesus, for being like the pigment of anthocyanin in my life. Make me richer. Redder. A reflection of your grace, ever radiating like the maples of fall. Always telling your story amid our dying world.

All Pictures from Canva

Reference: https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/change-leaf-color

Christy Bass Adams

Christy Bass Adams, is the Outreach and Connections Coordinator at Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, Florida. She is also a writer and had her first devotional book published in summer of 2022 (Big Lessons from Little People) followed by a middle grades novel (Imagination Checkers) in the fall. Her most important role, however, is with her family as a wife of 18 years and mother to two busy boys. She worked in education for over 18 years at both the elementary and collegiate levels. Her favorite pastimes are fishing and sitting around a fire. For more from Christy, visit her blog at christybassadams.com.