When I was young, an old man shared something that profoundly influenced my finances, relationships, and spiritual journey. I loved visiting the nature preserve across from my house, where I once spotted a mountain lion. In those days, I was a big fan of the Karate Kid and Jackie Chan movies. One day, I discovered a patch of yellow bamboo growing there, which was rare in California at the time. Excited, I would kick and punch it, pretending I was in China or Hong Kong, feeling really cool.

One day, while walking my dog, I noticed a city gardener had cut down all the bamboo, leaving only stubs. And I said, well, this was my little piece of Hong Kong, and it’s gone forever. I can’t believe they’ve cut down the bamboo that I love. An old man saw my disappointment and said, “There’s bamboo underfoot, and all around.” I realized the gardener might have made a mistake! But in actuality, if you want to get rid of bamboo, you don’t cut it down, as this will cause it to grow and spread everywhere. 

Friend, by the way, that old man was my dad. He was around 38 or 39 at the time. He was right; not long after the bamboo was cut, it grew back everywhere, stronger than ever. That day, God taught me a lesson about something that occurs in nature, within our bodies, and throughout the universe—all around us. This principle is evident in all of God’s creation. The simple truth is that there are certain things in life that, when you cut them back even just a little, those cuts actually help you succeed and grow even more.