The Spiritual Applications of a Treestand

Ever since mankind became hunters after the global flood, there have been many methods employed to pursue our game of choice. Some hunters prefer a good spot and stalk, using their knowledge and ability to sneak up close to the prey. Some hunters like the community effort of a good "deer" drive, whereby they attempt to flush out the game to some other human predators lying in wait. Other hunters prefer to find a stationary spot on a good crossing or feeding spot, at which they place a treestand to remain hidden up in the perch of a concealing tree. Myself, I prefer a stand in a tree to surprise the unsuspecting deer that happen to wander by my undisclosed locale.

Have you ever thought about some spiritual applications of the treestand? While we are often only focused on the hunt itself, I am mindful of some spiritual truths which can be found above the ground in the security of a tree-hugger. The following is a plethora of treestand truths from a young man who has spent many hours in God's great outdoors.

Spiritual application #1 - Place your stand in the best possible spot for close encounters. Especially true for bowhunting, make sure your stand will offer you that shot at a close proximity. Just as deer are a target of many bowhunters, our targets for evangelism are those who don't have Christ in their life. If we are going to reach people, we need to be in close proximity to the people. Jesus called us to be fishers of men (Mark 1:17), so it only makes sense to be around the people. You can't catch men unless you're in their midst.

Spiritual application #2 - Make sure to secure yourself so you don't fall. Safety belts can be life savers, even if you're only hunting ten feet off the ground. Likewise, we have security available for our spiritual lives. We are told in the Bible that we can fall from grace and drift away(Galatians 5:4; Hebrews 2:1; 3:2; 4:11). We need to make sure we are secured through salvation in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Those who have been obedient to the gospel can be secure in their salvation by walking in the light (1 John 1:7), and we can know that we're saved (1 John 5:13). My brother, Chris, fell out of a treestand one time and lived to tell about it. Those who fall spiritually will not be able to secure themselves once they die or the Lord returns.

Spiritual application #3 - There are many different types of treestands. Climbing stands are beneficial when you are going to be in the area temporarily. Hanging stands are great options for the season when you need a low profile in the tree. Ladder stands are great when you've got lots of cover, and perhaps you've even got one to accomodate two people. Just as there are many types of stands, the church is made up of many different kinds of people. There is one body, but there are many different parts (1 Corinthians 12:12ff; Romans 12:3-8).

Spiritual application #4 - The aim of a treestand is to lift you above where you are. If you're hunting on the ground, you don't need a treestand; their purpose is to get you above the ground. Likewise, Christians are to set their minds on things above, not on things of the earth (Colossians 3:2). I'm mindful of the song Higher Ground and the line that states "Lord, plant my feet on higher ground." Think about this the next time you plant your feet in the lofty heights of your treestand.

I Hadn't Noticed That Before!

Do you ever see things that you knew were there all along but seemed like they suddenly appeared to you? I'm sure you've heard people use expressions such as "I couldn't see the forest for the trees" and "if it would have been a snake, it would have jumped up and bit me!" Sometimes we just don't pay enough attention to our surroundings to see something important. The reality is that although we might not have noticed that something, it was really there all along.

Such was the case with me yesterday while I was out looking for another treestand location at a spot I hunt here in Columbia. I had been looking for a spot to put an extra ladder stand, but I was having trouble finding the right tree. I don't know how many times I had walked by this one spot, but it had never entered my mind that it could be the one spot I wanted to find. Covered up by quite a bit of brush and smaller trees was a humongous red oak. It was only when I fixed my eyes on it that I realized how good of a stand location that could be, especially given the cover that is around it. I immediately began to think ahead to next year thinking what I would be planting to hold the deer there.

The tree had been there the whole time, but I never got a good enough glimpse of it due to all of the brush in front of it. Somtimes Bible study is like that. How many times have you been reading a passage of Scripture when you discover something new? I've heard many people utter a phrase similar to this, and I've even experienced this myself. God's Word is so full of information, we can't help but discover new things if we continue to study it. Are you going to look for things that you haven't noticed before?

2 Tim. 2:15
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."