Lodge pole pine forests are interesting. Lodgepole pines are very straight with little branching out which makes them perfect for – you guessed it – building lodges (and houses and barns and stuff like that). Down on the forest floor the baby lodgepole pines are protected by the bigger trees. But they are pretty branched out so they can collect as much sunlight as possible to grow.
As baby Christians we need the protection of older, more mature Christians but we also need as much Son-light as we can get in order to grow. As we grow we become more useful and we start to have discipling responsibilities.
We all start at the forest floor. We all need to be nurtured and protected. And at some point along the way we become useful and we are able to nurture and help protect others.
Just Sayin' 