Where We Are Rooted Matters
“Blessed is the onewho does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners takeor sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”
I’ll be the first to admit that, even though I want to have a green thumb, I don’t. Part of the problem is the effort that I’m willing (or not willing) to put into gardening. However, part of it is also a lack of knowledge. I don’t know much about plants or what they need to flourish.
When my husband and I moved into our first home in 2018, we inherited a beautifully landscaped yard. The previous owners had invested years of time and love into it, planting many types of flowers, bushes, and trees. As they told us about their yard, I felt excited about the task of managing and cultivating it.
We moved into our new house in early May, so everything was still dormant from the winter. Within a few weeks, the plants began to emerge. First, yellow and white tulips popped up. Then the grass began to turn green. After that, the trees bloomed pink and white. It was beautiful—we felt like we’d hit the yard jackpot!
However, things quickly became overwhelming. We realized that weeds often grow faster than any other plant. Bushes need to be trimmed more often than we had time for, and grass doesn’t stay green without regular watering. Over the next few years, we learned a lot about taking care of a yard. We made mistakes (like the time we over-fertilized and almost completely killed our entire yard). But we also grew to enjoy the process of tending to our yard and digging in the dirt.
After about three years, we both felt like we were finally getting the hang of caring for the plants in our yard. But there was one hydrangea plant we just couldn’t figure out. Every year, it would grow huge and luscious. Its leaves would be green and full, but it would never bloom. We tried everything we could think of. One year, we tried cutting it back. The next year, we didn’t. We experimented with different types of fertilizer, but nothing seemed to work.
Finally, we asked someone who knew a lot about plants what we were doing wrong. They asked us how we were caring for it, and we explained our various attempts. To our relief, they told us we were doing everything right. But then they said the problem was likely that the hydrangea wasn’t planted in the right place. If we wanted it to thrive, we’d need to make sure it had the right soil and the right amount of sunlight. Sadly, there was no spot in our yard with the right conditions for it, so we simply continued to enjoy its green beauty. After a few years, we replaced it with a plant that better suited our yard.
An Example of Good Roots
I’m not a gardening expert (our hydrangea bush can attest to that). However, one tree that has fascinated me for years is the acacia tree. The acacia tree can survive—and even thrive—in one of the harshest and driest environments in the world: the desert. When the relentless desert sun turns the landscape into a bleak canvas, the acacia tree’s green presence is a source of beauty. When the scorching heat drains the life from every living thing, the acacia tree is a source of life. And when the long, hot days cause even the strongest plants to wither, the acacia tree’s cool shade provides a place of rest.
How is this possible? How does the acacia tree manage to do what other plants and trees cannot? The secret is in the tree’s roots. Not only do the roots go deep, but they also grow in strategic locations. Many species of the acacia tree grow in riverbeds. When the rainy season comes, the riverbeds can flood up to five feet deep, allowing the tree’s roots to soak up the abundance of water. Scientists estimate that the acacia tree can store up to 35 gallons of water in its roots. As a result, when the dry season arrives and everything else starts to die, the acacia tree has access to the life-giving water it needs to survive. The acacia tree can not only survive, but it can thrive in the harsh desert conditions because of where it is rooted.
The Bible mentions trees over 293 times, and many of these references are allegories—pictures of what the life of a follower of God should look like. Due to their geographical location, many biblical scholars believe the acacia tree is often the tree referred to in these allegories. Psalm 1 is one of the most notable examples. Scholars believe that the tree the psalmist describes is likely the acacia tree. So, what does this passage teach us about the importance of where we are rooted?
The Importance of Where We Are Rooted
The psalmist tells readers that the person who is rooted in “the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:2) is like a tree planted by streams of water. The message here is that the location where a tree is planted is crucial. A tree draws its nourishment from where it is planted, which is why it’s so important that the conditions of its environment are ideal for life.
The term “law of the Lord” is used many times throughout Scripture. However, in this passage, it refers not just to the commands of the Lord but to the entire revelation of God—the gospel. In Greek, there are two different words for life: ζωή (zoe), which refers to the conditions necessary for life (such as bread or food), and βίος (bios), which refers to the duration of life. 1 John 5:12 says, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” The word life here is ζωή. In other words, Jesus is the condition necessary for life. He is what sustains our life.
Where we are rooted matters so much because our roots reveal where we look for life. If our lives are rooted in comfort, we’ll always be seeking life in what’s comfortable. If we’re rooted in success, we’ll look for life in our accomplishments. But if our lives are rooted in Jesus—the author of life, the Word of God, and the living water—than we will look to him for life.
The Results of Being Rooted in the Right Place
The psalmist goes on to list three positive results of being rooted in “the law of the Lord” (the gospel). Roots don’t produce fruit. They don’t even contribute to the visible beauty of a tree. The primary job of a tree’s roots is to channel nutrients from the ground. When a tree is rooted in the right place, it can survive dry seasons and produce good fruit. It can be a source of beauty, life, and rest to the world around it. When our lives are rooted in the streams of the gospel, we too can survive dry seasons and produce good things. We can be a source of beauty, life, and rest.
A Place of Beauty – “everything he does prospers”
When the dry season comes, the acacia tree is often the only tree to survive. In fact, it often experiences rapid growth during these dry, lifeless seasons. Because of where it’s rooted, the acacia tree can prosper while everything around it dies. In the Bible, the words “prosper” and “beauty” are often used interchangeably to describe what is good and right. Amid a bleak desert canvas, the acacia tree is a symbol of beauty—a reminder of what life should be like. When we are rooted in the right place, we can also be a source of beauty in a dying and broken world, reflecting God’s goodness.A Place of Life – “yield fruit in season”
Fruit is not only a sign of life but also a source of life. Galatians 5:22-23 clearly outlines the fruit that a believer should produce: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” It’s only when we are rooted in the gospel that our lives can produce good fruit, even in dry seasons. We can yield the fruit of kindness when our kids are having a rough day, the fruit of joy when life feels overwhelming, and the fruit of self-control when our patience is tested. As the Spirit works in us, we will be able to be a source of life to those around us.A Place of Rest – “whose leaf does not wither”
When the scorching desert sun causes everything else to wither, the acacia tree remains leafy and green. Withering is the result of prolonged exhaustion without rest or nourishment. We often wither when we feel completely depleted and empty. But rest is the opposite of withering; it’s the result of being complete and full. For example, God rested on the seventh day because creation was complete. A person’s leaf not withering is a picture of rest. When we find our completeness in Jesus, we won’t wither. Instead, we’ll become a place of rest for others.