Post by: Maggie Anderson
Driving down the interstate in mid-spring to early-summer can be just as beautiful as fall in the mountains. Roadsides are saturated with hues of pinks, whites, purples, and reds. It was on a drive like this a few years back when, being the plant nerd that I am, I had a conversation about trees. It went something like this:
Me: “Did you know that trees like redbuds will only grow in disturbed soil? The ground has to be broken up or they can’t take root”
Them: “Wow, that’ll preach! Grow where there’s disruption.”
Now I know what you’re thinking. That absolutely will preach. There is something to be said for placing yourself into situations where the Holy Spirit has disrupted the mundane. I truly believe that you should always be placing yourself in the places where, like in John 5:2, God has disturbed the water. But there was a big piece of the puzzle missing with this mindset. One that you may only realize if, like me, you know a thing or two about trees.
You see, redbuds and dogwoods, and all these trees that scatter the parkways have some similar characteristics. Aside from their beautiful florals, and their preference for disturbed soil, they also are considered scrawny when compared to other trees. These trees on average are around 20 feet tall. Much smaller than the maples, oaks, and pines which grow to heights of 60+ feet. Their roots aren’t as deep, they can’t be in the loose, sandy, soil. And though they make pretty decorations, they’re not considered useful for building anything. That’s the reason they’re so numerous. They’re constantly competing to make themselves known, so they fill every space they can reach. They’re decidedly more showy, but they have much less depth. The trees that grow deep in the forest in tough, untouched areas are where strength and stability are found. Their roots can be so strong that rather than growing around rocks they grow straight through them. These trees, while maybe not as pretty, grow for hundreds of years and are invaluable when trying to build. They’re also less numerous, not extinct or even endangered, but less prominent nonetheless.
It’s easy as Christian’s to follow the same trend as a redbud. We jump from one conference to the next, from one revival to the next, from one church to the next, always seeking out the disruption. With this cycle people will often have seasons of rapid growth and production, like the flowers in the spring, but they fail to grow deep enough roots to sustain themselves. They reach a plateau, the flowers fade, and they are back to a low, searching for another disruption.
I want to use an illustration you’re probably familiar with. It comes from Matthew 7:24-27.
“24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
You see, things can grow in sand. They may even be able to produce some flowers or fruit. A house can be built there. But when the rain and floods come their true stature is revealed. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we are trying to grow roots in sand until trials come and we don’t have the strength to withstand them. The good news is that we have the ability to decide what we grow into. Today I want to encourage you to look at your growing conditions. Are you planted firm? Do you have your own relationship with God, not dependent on your environment? Or are you flaky? Does your relationship change based on the seasons of your life? Can you maintain your faith even when the floods rise around you?
It’s much easier to be a redbud, and redbuds do receive a lot of praise, but would you rather be a decoration for God, or a foundation he builds on? If you want to grow planted on the rock, surround yourself with others who already are planted there. Seek God in the everyday moments, not just the extraordinary ones. Create a root system so strong that no storm could blow you down.
As we end this devotional I want you to pray this prayer with me. Father, we thank you for the opportunity to follow you. Help us to grow stronger and more steadfast with you. We ask that you would increase our faith. Help us not to waiver when storms come, but to stand firm with you. We praise you for the work you are doing in our lives, and the lives of those around us. In Jesus name, Amen.
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