"The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (v.12)
Have you ever wondered why God compares the righteous to a palm tree? The palm tree grows in sandy soil which has the least amount of resources. Less water, less salt, less fertility, less nourishment. Nevertheless the date palm grows and flourishes in this soil, in fact towering majestically over the other desert plants. Lack of fertile soil stunts the growth of most desert plants but not the date palm. The date palm is impervious to the changing climatic conditions and wind velocities of the desert regions where it grows. And it grows in extreme climatic conditions- blazing heat, freezing cold, sand storms, and droughts. Yet it grows on steadfastly through all these different conditions, into a stately tree.
Similarly no matter where we are planted (good soil, average soil, poor soil), God gives us the grace to thrive, and flourish majestically, like the palm tree. And, as the conditions in life change throughout our time here on earth, God will surely see us through them, giving us the strength to stand and face any adversity. God’s plan for us is not to make us a mediocre people, but to make us strong in His Word; to face difficult situations. And, just as the palm tree is perennially green throughout the year, never changing, so should we strive for a similar consistency and always be a source of encouragement to the people around us.
The Truth: "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3)
Have you ever wondered why God compares the righteous to a palm tree? The palm tree grows in sandy soil which has the least amount of resources. Less water, less salt, less fertility, less nourishment. Nevertheless the date palm grows and flourishes in this soil, in fact towering majestically over the other desert plants. Lack of fertile soil stunts the growth of most desert plants but not the date palm. The date palm is impervious to the changing climatic conditions and wind velocities of the desert regions where it grows. And it grows in extreme climatic conditions- blazing heat, freezing cold, sand storms, and droughts. Yet it grows on steadfastly through all these different conditions, into a stately tree.
Similarly no matter where we are planted (good soil, average soil, poor soil), God gives us the grace to thrive, and flourish majestically, like the palm tree. And, as the conditions in life change throughout our time here on earth, God will surely see us through them, giving us the strength to stand and face any adversity. God’s plan for us is not to make us a mediocre people, but to make us strong in His Word; to face difficult situations. And, just as the palm tree is perennially green throughout the year, never changing, so should we strive for a similar consistency and always be a source of encouragement to the people around us.
The Truth: "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3)
