The Baobab Tree

One of the many images that I have bouncing around in my mind from our trip to Tanzania last month is that of the Boabab tree.  These enormous trees are truly something to behold and they not only caught my attention, but also stirred my imagination.  Baobab trees are huge; some standing as high as 90 feet with diameters of more than 30 feet.  They are not very aesthetic and certainly not beautiful as trees go, rather simple and clumpy.  As a matter of fact, local legend says that God was angered by the Boabab tree and thus planted them all upside down.  (It does look as though their roots are sticking up where their branches ought to be.)  However, they are magnificent to behold mainly because of their sheer size.

The Baobab trees that we saw in Tanzania did not grow in forests or even in groves with other Boababs.  Rather, they stood alone; usually high on a hill that overlooked a magnificent plain.  To me, they stood like sentinels standing alone to keep watch over the valleys below.  (I know I’m sounding a little “Lord of the Rings – ish” here but that’s just the way I saw them.)  They stood tall and strong, albeit alone, providing clear reference points for any man or beast that might walk through the valley below.

I do have a point here.  It dawned on me that Christianity is not very common or popular among the Massai of East Africa (or here in America for that matter).  Often times we as Christians, like the mighty Baobabs, are called to stand tall and strong as we watch over those that God has placed in our realm of influence.  Sometimes we find it to be a lonely place as we stand alone representing our Lord.  Our faith in Jesus Christ is not always accepted as popular or politically correct.  Yet, we are called to take a stand where others can clearly see the faith that we profess. Our stance in a lost and broken world can provide a clear reference point for others who seek to find their way to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

God used the Baobab tree to challenge me as a Christian and a leader.  "Dear God, let me stand tall and strong even though I may find myself standing alone; all for Your glory."