The Bible often uses nature and gardening imagery to illustrate its concepts. The parable of the sower. The fruit of the Spirit. Paul's olive tree analogy in his letter to the Romans. The wheat and the tares. Soil, roots, branches, weeds, fruit... the list goes on.
Like everything in the Bible, this wasn't done accidently. One use of this imagery struck me recently, and that is trees. Trees paint an accurate picture of how we are to be as followers of Christ: rooted and fruitful.
But the question is, what does this look like?
Fruitful Blessings
Our answer can be found in Psalms 1. This is one of my favorite Psalms (and I have a lot). It speaks about a believer who is like a tree.
Psalms 1
1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Immediately, we’re told he’s blessed. Why? Because of his habits. Let's take a deeper look.
The actions in verse 1 speaks to a progressive change in state. The man goes from active (walking) to passive (sitting). This refers to how we get caught in sin. It begins with the path we decide to walk (which often correlates to our company). Net, we find ourselves comfortable where we are, and before we know it, we have a seat at the table.
The man in the psalm avoids this. He doesn’t listen to those who would advise him to do evil or wrong. He doesn’t follow those traveling along a sinful path, and he doesn’t hang out with those who mock holy living. Instead, he loves the Word, studying it and thinking about it all day (verse 2). Because he delights in the Law, he has a blessing.
Verse 3 explains his blessing: fruitfulness. It’s not just any kind of fruitfulness. It’s an abundant kind that shows Who’s on your side.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 frames this example in another way:
7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
This adds a whole new level to the kind of fruitfulness mentioned in Ps. 1:3. We can be confident that fiery trials and dry spells will by no means hinder our ability to be fruitful.
God is speaking this to us. Great! However, in order to be fruitful, we need to first be rooted.
Rooted in Christ
It's common sense that roots are vital to the growth of a tree. Their job is to anchor the tree, and filter impurities, absorb nutrients from water and soil, so the tree can mature.
Roots vary from tree to tree, but most only dig into the first 6 inches of soil, where the best nutrients are, and grow outward. A root system can spread 2-3 times the diameter of the tree’s canopy. So if we have a 30-foot tree, its roots grow from 60 to 90 feet wide!
Roots are strong, too. They can break rocks and bust up sidewalks and driveways. They’re also helpful for the surrounding environment, as they prevent erosion.
Tree experts say that when there’s root damage, prompt treatment is essential to save the tree. Otherwise, the tree will slowly decay and die. If the damage is severe enough, the tree could be uprooted and fall down.
If we are to be fruitful trees, we clearly need to be rooted.
Rooted in what? The answer is simple: Jesus Christ. He is what we need to grow as strong as mature trees, because He is the Vine and the Living Water.
Jesus as the Vine
In the Old Testament Scriptures, vine imagery is a symbol of God's people. Jesus' last I Am statement teaches that He is the true vine.
John 15:1-8
1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Branches can't grow or bear fruit if they aren't connected to the vine. Therefore, we must be connected to Jesus if we want to bear fruit ourselves. We do this by abiding in Him.
To me, it means the Word, because Jesus is the Word. His Word provides the right nutrients we need to grow in strength and stature. Ways to abide in the Word can include studying the Word, listening to an audio Bible in the car, and memorizing Scripture.
Jesus as the Living Water
One of my favorite Bible stories is the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus gives an important revelation to the Samaritan woman. It is also one of the keys to being rooted in Him.
John 4:13
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Jesus is the Living Water that nourishes our spiritual roots! Jesus reiterates this fact in John 7, while teaching in the temple.
John 7:37-39
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
These verses refer to the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, which was prophesied in the Old Testament. We must be filled with the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in tongues, to drink in the Living Water. By spending time in His presence in prayer and worship and being filled with the Spirit, we are being watered so our roots can spread wide.
The Importance of Being Rooted
Being spiritually rooted is important, not only to be fruitful but also to be steadfast. The storms and droughts of life will try their hardest to uproot you. But, if you are deeply rooted in Christ, you will not just survive but thrive.
Col. 2:6-10
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
We need to be rooted in Christ so that we are not uprooted by the false teachings and doctrines of this world. Be rooted in truth, in Christ, and you will be complete.
My church's purpose statement is “to know Christ and to show Christ." I think this sums up what it means to be rooted and fruitful. To be rooted in Christ is to know Him, and to be fruitful is to show Him.
Here are a few practical ways to know Christ:
keep a prayer journal
read a Psalm and Proverb daily
implement SOAP journaling (an acronym for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer)
memorize a verse and study it thoroughly
schedule an uninterrupted worship session for any length of time
Here are a few ways to show Christ:
pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru
ask someone (friend, family member, coworker) if you can pray for them
share your testimony (individually, in a social media post -- it doesn't matter)
be kind to everyone, even the grumpy cashier
volunteer
What other garden imagery in the Bible speak to you? What does being "rooted and fruitful" mean to you?