Recently while walking in the nature preserve, my friend noticed one of the most unusual phenomena I’ve ever seen. We were heading through a section of land with tall pine trees as well as an understory of deciduous growth, including sweet gum and pawpaw saplings. She noticed that several of the leaves hanging over the path had been pierced by falling pine needles. It seemed almost impossible that it was true, so we stopped and took a closer look.
Sure enough, many of the understory leaves had six to eight-inch pine needles that had pierced through them on their downward journey. We looked up to find the source of the pine needles. The top of the pines was a good thirty feet above us. Perhaps a recent storm had sent the needles spiraling downward, and they hit the leaves? That seemed to be the only explanation. But why was the nub or sheath of the needle that initially was attached to the tree on the underside of the leaf? The only explanation is that the leaves flipped over in the wind. I’ve seen this phenomenon often. The pawpaw leaves are so large they act as sails in a storm and usually stay that way for days.
I would love to have witnessed the wind carry these tiny spears downward. I was struck by the fact that the needles remained hanging on the leaves. One end of the needle is quite sharp. Next time you encounter one, test it out.
Depending on the type of pine, there are two or three needles clustered together with one sheath, up to five in other varieties. In some cases, the sheaths are shed; in others, they are permanent. In this case, the nub that was attached to the tree acted like a collar around the needle. It held the projectile in place on the leaf while stopping its downward journey. Usually, I see pine needles hanging on small branches like tinsel. The nub again stops the downward fall. What fascinates me is that God created the pine needles to have this tiny sheath, yet it doesn’t weigh enough to change the trajectory of the needle’s path. It appears that the sharp end was usually what pierced the leaf.
There were a few cases where the nub hit the leaf and tore a hole in it. But more often than not, the sharp ends of the needle were what pierced the leaf. Without the nub, the needle would have passed right through the leaf and ended on the ground
Contemplating these pine needles, I was reminded of the passage in Isaiah 53:5 where the prophet speaks of Christ being pierced for our transgressions. Pierced is not a word we use lightly or often. It implies a specific direction, location, and purpose. Think of an arrow or spear. I am reminded of the flaming arrows that the enemy sends out to discourage or mislead us. When men wore armor in battle, their enemy would aim for the spot where there was a gap in the armor. As believers, we are given the full armor of God, specifically the shield of faith, to extinguish these fiery darts. But sometimes, they can slip through our protection if we are not alert.*
If you are interested in reading more about the complex nature of pine needles, check out this page with drawings and discussion. https://lovettpinetum.org/pines/pine-leaves/
Nature is always surprising me. I never fail to find something new, different, or unexplainable on my walks. As it unfolds before me, I hear Jesus talking in parables. I must be open and wait for what the Lord will say.
Often in prayer, I ask the Lord to pierce the heart of someone with His divine spirit so they can see the truth. The book of Hebrews reminds us, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”**
Arrows or pine needles directed by the hand of the Lord will always find their mark. Sometimes they are painful reminders of our inability to stop sinning. Other times they will pierce our hearts with a truth that He knows we need to hear to encourage us on our journey toward home.
“Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.”
Psalm 45:5 NIV
*Ephesians 6:16 NIV
**Hebrews 4:12 EST (italics mine)
