I'm A Tree

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers..." (Psalm 1:3).
" I am like a green olive tree in the house of God..." (Psalm 52:8).
"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Psalm 92:12)
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Over and over, again and again, the Bible likens our life on earth to that of a tree: "... as the days of a tree are the days of my people..."(Isaiah 65:22)). With this fact in mind, let's take some lessons from Mother Nature.

Doth Not Even Nature Teach You That...

1. What is planted is what comes up.
If we plant acorns, we do not expect apple trees to grow. The seed we sow in our life daily is what is going to come up. If we sow thoughts of worldliness, lust, and foolishness, we will see the works of the flesh sprouting. If we sow the Word of God, hymns,spiritual thoughts and songs, the growth of the fruit of the Spirit is inevitable:

"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things an pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things"(Philippians 4:8).

2. The proper climate is critical.
Some trees can best be grown in certain climates (citrus in Florida, peaches in Georgia, apples in Washington, for example). In southern Louisiana one can grow a little citrus tree catted "the Satsuma." It is a hardy little tree, but practically impossible to grow north of a certain point. Many have attempted to grow these trees in central Louisiana, and sometimes they are successful for a little while -- maybe a year or two -- but sooner or later the winter weather will be too harsh and the tree will die. None of us would be foolish enough to choose the Alaskan climate for a peach tree farm. The spiritual climate we choose for "our tree" is equally important. The fruit of the Spirit cannot survive long in a harsh, worldly climate.

3. The atmosphere is important.
Light and moisture play equally significant roles in the growth of a tree. The lack of either of these would very quickly be disastrous. Our environment will play a crucial role in the type of spiritual tree we grow. The amount exposure to the "Light of the World," and our access to the "Living Water" will decide the fruitfulness and healthiness of "our tree." We can choose the seed, the atmosphere, and the climate for "our tree," but the resultant fruit is the inevitable consequence of our choices. We do not choose or select the fruit we want to bear; we decide the seed and the growing conditions. The fruit is the natural conclusion!