Roots, Leaves, & Fruit

Roots aren’t pretty, are they? Nor are they even visible when they are doing what they are supposed to do. Dirty, unseen, gnarled things.

And yet it is the investment in the root that allows any life at all, but especially healthy growth and beautiful leaves and fruit. You  may think I've spent too much time watching Gardener's World and this isn't the type of Resonate Truth you're interested in, but hang in there with me.

When you buy a fruit tree to plant in the ground, you don’t pay special attention and care to the leaves it has, making sure that nothing happens to them – no, you pay special attention to the roots. But then we easily forget they are even there working.

In our lives, we can slip into the habit of focusing on the leaves and fruit our lives have. When we don’t see them, or they are damaged, rotting, or ugly, we throw our hands up in desperation – my relationship with my wife, or kids, or friends is failing! I’m having trouble at work! My finances are spiraling out of control! I’m doing everything I can but it’s not getting any better!

But where are you putting your time and attention? Is it all focused on the leaves and fruit? It’s a longer play, but God says – do you want healthy leaves and fruit, regardless of your circumstances? Then it’s the hidden, unnoticed, vitality of your roots that need your attention and time and energy. I will worry about the rest for you.

God says this in the first three verses of the very first Psalm in the Bible. 

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law[b] of the LORD,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

So, when we find ourselves lamenting truly lamentable withering or lack of good fruit in our lives. When we feel the dry, parched hand of despair grabbing us around the throat, let’s pause and turn our gaze from the things we want to fix, to the solution. Let’s read a few verses of God’s perfect word, let’s think about the truth there and ask others about it, let’s work at delighting in the Lord’s words to us. It will take time that few are willing to invest, but as our roots grow stronger and healthy, they will provide the vital nutrients to our hearts that will produce the leaves and fruit we love to see.