"He shall be like a tree..."

I gave a worship talk at the YD counselor retreat/rally earlier this week, and the message of that worship talk has continued to impress me and teach me. I just love how God arranges things like this! We looked at a few lessons from trees, lessons from the roots, bark, and pH of the soil. But God has been pointing out more lessons to me since then. 

I find it fascinating that the root system of a tree must be at least the same depth as the height above ground and at least as broad underground as the branches spread above ground. Notice I said "at least." It's not infrequent to find root systems larger than that! One lesson from this that has impressed itself on me is that while we cannot see the heart, we can see the effect of the heart on the life. At the beginning of the Christian life (like at the beginning of the life of a tree) we may not see anything much above ground, but that doesn't mean we never will. The growth must first be in the heart (or the ground) before its effect is seen in the life (or the growth of the tree above ground). "It is no easy matter to gain the priceless treasure of eternal life. No one can do this and drift with the current of the world. He must come out from the world and be separate and touch not the unclean. No one can act like a worldling without being carried down by the current of the world. No one will make any upward progress without persevering effort. He who would overcome must hold fast to Christ. He must not look back, but keep the eye ever upward, gaining one grace after another. Individual vigilance is the price of safety. Satan is playing the game of life for your soul. Swerve not to his side a single inch, lest he gain advantage over you. If we ever reach heaven, it will be by linking our souls to Christ, leaning upon Him, and cutting loose from the world, its follies and enchantments. There must be on our part a spiritual co-operation with the heavenly intelligences. We must believe and work and pray and watch and wait. As the purchase of the Son of God, we are His property, and everyone should have an education in the school of Christ. Both teachers and pupils are to make diligent work for eternity. The end of all things is at hand. There is need now of men armed and equipped to battle for God" (6T 148.1). "Oh, you much need to gaze fixedly upon Jesus! Keep beholding His charms. As you behold they will keep brightening and enlarging until you are filled with all the fulness of God and bear much fruit to His glory. The branch is too firmly connected with the parent stock to be swayed by every breeze. Strength and vigorous growth tell to the world that your root is in Jesus, that your foundation is sure" (OHC 216.4).

Another lesson that stood out to me is from Our High Calling, page 216.1: "'Watch unto prayer,' and you will steadily grow in grace and in a knowledge of Christ. Your experience will not be one-sided, deformed, but healthful, symmetrical. All unawares to yourself, you will have expanded like the wide-spreading cedar, and many will profit by your counsel; your association with them will have the fragrance of heaven." How beautiful! The pine tree gives off a special scent, a healthful and life-giving fragrance. Why? Simply because it is a pine tree. Many trees can be identified by their fragrance. Just that surely, the life of the Christian is like a breath from heaven to those wandering in the world. Just as a pine tree can be identified by its scent, a connected Christian can be identified by the fragrance of heaven in his/her life. 

"We all have an influence, and that influence is telling upon the destiny of others for their present and future good or for their eternal loss" (3T 528.3). "The closer we keep to Christ, and the more meek and lowly and self-distrustful we are, the firmer will be our hold on Christ, and the greater will be our power, through Christ, to convert sinners; for it is not the human agent that moves the soul. Heavenly intelligences co-operate with the human agent and impress the truth upon the heart. Abiding in Christ we are able to exert an influence over others; but it is because of the presence of Him who says: 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' Matthew 28:20" (6T 399.2). "You may never know the result of your influence from day to day, but be sure that it is exerted for good or evil. Many who have a kind heart and good impulses permit their attention to be absorbed in worldly business or pleasure, while the souls that look to them for guidance drift on to hopeless wreck. Such persons may have a high profession and may stand well in the opinion of men, even as Christians, but in the day of God, when our works shall be compared with the divine law, then it will be found that they have not come up to the standard. Others who saw their course fell a little below them, and still others fell below the latter class, and thus the work of degeneracy went on. Throw a pebble into the lake and a wave is formed, and another and another; and as they increase, the circle widens until they reach the very shore. Thus our influence, though apparently insignificant, may continue to extend far beyond our knowledge or control" (Review and Herald, Jan. 24, 1882, par. 11, 12).

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." Psalm 1:1-6