Trees of Righteousness

Today I have grown taller from walking with the trees.





I recently saw this quote, in memory of someone, engraved on a park bench at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Illinois. I have always enjoyed the uniqueness of trees. Here is a picture of a Eucalyptus tree in San Diego. My first time seeing this tree I was totally blown away by it's beauty within the oddly shaped branches. A couple of facts about trees:

1. There are approximately 100,000 known species of trees that exist throughout the world.




2. The worlds tallest tree is a Coast Redwood Sequoia, found in Redwood National Park in California. It stands 379.1 feet tall.



I once heard in a sermon an illustration on the apple tree:

Have you ever been to an apple orchard when the apples are in season and are so ripe you could eat them as soon as you pluck them from the tree? The one common thing amongst all those trees with their ripen fruit; each tree has a trunk that looks battle scarred. The bark on those trunks are so scaled with rough, rugged, torn skin, you could tell the trees had weathered through many years of storms even though the fruit that exists on those trees are ripe in season.
What the Preacher was doing was likening us to those trees.



Throughout the Bible there are many scriptures where God makes reference of us to be like trees:



1. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out it's roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes, but it's leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit. (Jer.17:8)



When we branch ourselves out toward God, His springs of living water flow through us, refreshing us with His Spirit. When difficulties arise, fear will not take over us if we stay close to those living waters. Our souls should continue to prosper (bear fruit) even in the midst of storms.



2. Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and it's fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and it's fruit rotten (diseased and bad);
for the tree is known and recognized and judged by it's fruit. (Math.12:33)



We each have a choice on what kind of tree we want to be: healthy and good, or rotten and diseased. Our outer appearance may show rough, jagged, battle scars, just like those tree trunks in the apple orchards, but what really matters is the fruit. Are you bearing fruit? Are you consumed with blessings? When we choose to follow Christ, living our life the way He wants us to, blessings will overtake us. Your fruit will be ripe!



Even if you are facing difficulty at this very moment, if your soul is prospering,you are a good and healthy tree. And the other fruit (blessings) in your life will surely follow.