William Cullen Bryant called autumn “the year’s last, loveliest smile.” When we moved south, we left the fall’s riot of colors where those leaves make one final spectacular demonstration of God’s glory.

Of course, the Lord always compensates one beauty for another. In the north, the fruit blossoms are gone in a few weeks. In the south, our crepe myrtles brighten our prospects all season long.

In northern climes, children gather leaf collections, and teachers explain that the colors have been there all along, hidden by the green chlorophyll that now retreats with shortening days.

Who wouldn’t be impressed with the grandeur of a red maple? I wonder why we don’t see more of these scarlet beauties around here. They flourish from southeastern Canada into central Florida. Especially in Starkville, where she shares her leaf palette with gorgeous maroons!

As a child I also loved her cousin, the sugar maple. With a symmetrical oval canopy, her leaves blend a mixture of green, yellow, orange, and red, a crayon pusher’s delight!

Add the yellows of the aspen and birch, with the fire-engine red of the sumacs along the landscape’s edges, and you have the makings of a thousand scenic calendars.

And yet… There’s something melancholy about it. I don’t mean to spoil your thoughts of autumn, but the leaves ARE dying. The blaze of beauty is short, and soon the piles of dead foliage are gathered and gone. It’s necessary because snow falling on leaf-covered branches would break them under the load. The leaves have to go.

Oh, yes, and we have to go, too. One question we should ask ourselves — what will we leave behind? Here are suggestions taken from the Grand Old Book regarding some leaves that never fall.

1. The lush green of God’s Provision. God “did not LEAVE Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:17)

In this land of plenty, how often do we give thanks to God? Shame on us, especially if we haven’t thanked Him for the greatest gift of all — His Son’s death on a leafless Tree that bears such sweet fruit for us — the gift of eternal life!

2. The golden glow of God’s Presence. “Be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never LEAVE you nor forsake you.’” (Heb 13:5) An iron-clad promise for those who entrust themselves to Him.

3. The arresting red of God’s Peace. “Peace I LEAVE with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (Jn 14:27) God’s peace stops trouble and fear in its tracks with these certainties—He knows, He loves, He cares.

4. The warming orange of God’s Paraclete. “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth…I will not LEAVE you orphans; I will come to you. (Jn 14:16-18)

The word “Helper” translates the Greek word Paraclete, meaning, “One called alongside to help.” He comforts, encourages, guides, corrects, instructs, empowers. Like a blazing fire on a chill autumn evening, God’s Spirit never leaves us in the cold.

How grateful we should be for the LEAVEs that never fall.

Jabe Nicholson of Starkville is grateful for the inkwells of many minds in which he dips his pen. Contact: [email protected] or uplook.tv