So the preacher said last week that “The leaves of the tree show that the root system is good. The leaves and the fruit bear witness to the root system”…….Pastor Conway Edwards. From John 17:23, “So that the world may know that you sent me”. This made me think of all the times when I go home it never fails that I run into someone that I don’t know and they say to me “you’re Ms. Taylor’s daughter!”. Mostly, because they say I look just like my mother. I don’t think so, but that’s what they see. Anywho, this leads me to think, when we go into the community, do they know whose we are? Or better yet, do they know who we serve? Am I bearing witness to my roots? What do my leaves say about my root system? What does my fruit say about my roots?
You know, in the garden, if you pull up some plants, you will find that those roots run deep and wide. It can take some strength to pull out the roots of some plants. But then there are other plants that on top of the ground they got vines running everywhere, but no fruit and the roots pull right up. I went to North Haven a few weeks ago and was asking the Master Gardener about my lemon tree. There it is again, that darn lemon tree. I was telling him how for years my lemon tree did not bear fruit. He asked me, “did you trim it?” I’m like no………. He said, well if you don’t trim the tree each year, the tree will continue to grow, but that growth will be on top and what really needs to happen is you need the roots to grow first. So this year, after the fruit bearing season, give it a good cut. Oh see now, that kinda cut me deep cause who wants to be cut?!? But if you have a large tree in your yard, you know that nothing is better for a tree than a good trim in the winter or early spring. And….you know those roots can run you crazy. They will grow all across your yard, uproot your sprinkler system, even under your foundation. But one thing about it. When you see those roots, you know exactly what they are and the tree from whence they came.
So I ask you again. Are you bearing witness to your roots?
Happy Sunday Saints!!
#IAmMyFathersGarden