HEALTHY ROOTS, LOTS OF FRUIT

By: Dennis Harworth

As I walked through the front door, I immediately caught the aroma of one of the best smells of summer – a peach pie, hot out of the oven.  There is just nothing like eating juicy, sweet peaches picked fresh off my own tree; baked to perfection, and topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and even a cherry.  Compliment it with a peach smoothie and it just makes my day!  If you haven’t guessed by now, peaches are my favorite fruit.  And with an abundant crop of peaches right out my back door, it made summer a delectable delight.

I will have you know it took some effort to get my peach tree to produce fruit, much less a bumper crop.  When I first moved in, the tree was in bad shape and I thought it wasn’t going to make it.  However, after talking to a tree specialist, I was encouraged to take a chance.  So, my first priority was to get the roots healthy, much like having a strong foundation.  Without a strong foundation hidden beneath the surface, even the best tree will eventually weaken and fail. 

Healthy roots are the unseen strength behind every thriving tree.  A healthy root system better absorbs water and the nutrients it needs, as well as provide stability needed for plentiful growth.  Trees with vigorous roots that are well-watered are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit (Jeremiah 17:8 NLT).  Watering, weeding, and diligently caring for my tree resulted in producing an abundance of peaches.  It became clearly evident that healthy roots produce lots of fruit.

The same principle applies to your Christian life.  Your spiritual fruitfulness begins when you let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught (Colossians 2:7 NLT).  As you sink your spiritual roots deeper into Jesus and His Word, you will become firmly established, strengthened, and nourished from remaining connected to the Source of Life.  You will also not be easily shaken by trials, temptations, or persecutions because your foundation is rooted in Him (Matthew 13:21).

Healthy spiritual roots will produce visible fruit by which you are known (Matthew 7:16). Your life will reflect the character and nature of God through the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  May you walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work (Colossians 1:10 NKJV).  May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God (Philippians 1:11 NLT).

Just as I invested time in caring for the roots of the peach tree, you are called to care and nurture your spiritual foundation.  When you remain planted by the living waters, you will continue to grow in strength, endurance, and godly character.  You will be fruitful and prosperous in every season of life (Psalm 1:3) and you will enjoy the fruit of your labor (Ecclesiastics 3:13 NLT).  The strong foundation in your life will display the evidence of an abundance principle that never changes: HEALTHY ROOTS, LOTS OF FRUIT.