Sycamore Gap, and Christ's way

Tim reflects on the felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree in his October postcard, less than three weeks after encountering it on one of his presidential walks 

I had it all planned.

This rather wonderful photo was taken by Kate Pozzo and shows her husband Johnny (Co-Team Leader of the Northern Baptist Association) listening patiently whilst I regale him with yet another anecdote! You may notice that I am sporting an embarrassing headscarf – having lent my hat to Johnny’s colleague, Linda.

We were walking along Hadrian’s Wall and, given my Presidential theme of Sharing in Christ’s Banquet, we spent much of the afternoon reflecting on the walls which divide us – and Christ’s description of himself as the gate (John 10), not the wall.

It was all so neat.

You will, though, have recognised that Kate’s picture was taken at Sycamore Gap. Less than three weeks later I was stunned to learn that this majestic example of God’s creation had been wantonly destroyed in what appears to be an example of all that is wrong with humanity’s relationship with the planet which God has lent us.

I am still grieving.
I am still reeling from the shock.
I am still processing how such a happy memory can now bring me such pain.
 

It would be wrong to speculate as to the motives of the person or people who committed this atrocity. Whether symptomatic of severe illness or straightforward criminality, more than 300 years of history have been wiped out by the selfishness of the perpetrator(s).

My desire is to see the perpetrators punished, to seek vengeance on someone who has taken away such a happy memory, and to inflict upon them the kind of pain which I feel.
 
But that is not Christ’s way.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!
                                    Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)