Roots
January
1
...consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
As Josh dug a
little deeper beside the crack in the driveway, he found multiple
roots spreading out in every direction. He was getting tired of what
he viewed as their destructive growth, forcing large parts of the
asphalt to heave and split.
The tree causing
the issue just happened to be the one he and his sons, Matt and
Scott, had planted years ago when they were just boys.
At the time, he
hadn't foreseen the potential problems from planting the sapling
within fifteen feet of the driveway, he was focused more on it being
time invested in his boys. It had always stood as a reminder of the
labor they'd shared, and how the boys had nurtured the tree early on.
Now, twenty years
later, he was regretting his inexperience as a horticulturist.
Everywhere he dug the pesky roots showed up. The sapling had taken
hold in fertile ground and flourished, becoming a large mossy oak!
In
spite of his frustration he smiled, remembering how proud the boys
were when the tree bloomed after its first winter. Looking into the
hole, Josh made a decision; the sentiment and meaning found in the
roots outweighed his irritation. To
heck with the driveway.
I'll just keep
patching it!
†
Roots provide life-giving support for
the tree. Digging deep, they do everything they can to find and
provide what the tree needs, letting nothing stand as a barrier to
their responsibility. As parents, we try to do the same for our
children.
Throughout Country Recording Artist
Parmalee's hit song, 'Roots', runs a powerful message of family,
home, and heritage, but at the heart of the song is a telling lyric:
“No, I can't outrun these roots, even if I wanted to. Thank God I
can't, their tangled up in every part of who I am, without em I know
I don't stand a chance!” Wow! To recognize and embrace their
familial heritage shows wisdom and maturity.
Jesus is the Root of Jesse, and He is
the support our spiritual lives need. His life and sacrifice provide
us the ability to not only survive but, like the tree in today's
story, flourish in the face of adversity. And just like Parmalee's
assessment of their tangled roots, without Jesus, we don't stand a
chance.
Prayer
“Thank You, Father God,
for sending Jesus, our life-giving Root, Who provides nourishment and
strength for this life, and the security of our eternal life. Amen!”
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