Hartman column: When you decide God's in charge, you let your leaves fall

I was reading an article titled “Letting Your Leaves Fall” by Rachel Wojo. In her article, she writes:

“Little yellow leaves from the front yard tree dance across the porch and driveway. As their bright green color fades, it seems they fall almost as quickly as they change. I love summer affectionately and part of me longs to whisper to the tree ‘Hold on a little longer. Come on; you got this. Think green!’ But graciously the tree listens to its Maker rather than my foolish whispers. In order to flourish in the new season, the tree must let go of its decayed leaves. They have performed well for the term, but their time has drawn to a close.”

Listening to our Maker rather than the voices around us is not just critical; it’s paramount.

There are advantageous voices in our world, no doubt. We have celebrated experts, gurus, and leaders in various fields who are knowledgeable by the world’s standards. Still, we all fall short according to God’s glorious standard. Human wisdom pales compared to God’s intelligence. There have been many seasons in my life where God has asked me to do something that natural reasoning rendered senseless. Yet, once I obeyed, it became clear why He was directing me to let go. This obedience to God’s guidance is not just a choice; it’s a necessity for our spiritual growth.

According to the Book of Acts, Dionysius was a member of the Areopagus in Athens who converted to Christianity after hearing Paul the Apostle preach on Areopagus Hill. Dionysius, the equivalent of a U.S. Supreme Court justice, was deeply moved by Paul’s explanation of the darkness that covered the land on the day Jesus died, which reminded him of a phenomenon he had witnessed in Egypt.

Church history records that Dionysius was in Egypt during Jesus’ crucifixion. On Good Friday, darkness covered Egypt. Dionysius noticed the sun’s absence and recorded this peculiar phenomenon’s exact time.

Years later, he heard Paul preaching next to his court’s location. Dionysius heard Paul explaining that when Jesus died, the daylight completely disappeared, and darkness embraced the world. Immediately, he thought about the phenomenon he had recorded in Egypt. He was convinced that Paul preached the truth and decided to become baptized in 54 AD.

Dionysius’ passion for the gospel was so intense that he boldly abandoned his family’s faith and judicial career to preach Christianity. This courageous act led him to become venerated as the patron saint of Athens, Crotone, and the first Bishop of Athens. He is also considered the protector of judges and the judiciary.

Today, the Scriptures do not name the justices who served alongside Dionysius. Seemingly, they were presented with the same choice as Dionysius at Areopagus Hill. They choose the voice of the world, “Hang on a little longer.” Dionysius chose the voice of God through the preaching of Paul.

Dionysius dropped his life’s work, dropped his family’s gods, and obeyed The Grand Architect. Because Dionysius obeys the prompting of God, not only do we remember his name nearly 2,000 years later, but many lives have come to Christ through his obedience.