“He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage…The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise…A man is not established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous cannot be moved” (Proverbs 11:28, 30; 12:3).
The comparison of the righteous to a vibrant, thriving tree is made in Psalm 1 and is repeated here in these three proverbs (within a cluster of seven). Here, it is written: “The root of the righteous cannot be moved” (12:3); “the righteous will flourish like foliage” (11:28); and “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (11:30).
The three critical essentials are: 1) a healthy and firm root system, 2) vibrant branches and leaves which have an abundant supply of sunshine and nutrients, and 3) the bountiful production of luscious fruit. Each is found in the life of the righteous.
Like a tree, a healthy faith (which is essential to righteous living) has strong and deep roots of conviction; its taproot is the rock-solid truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Like a tree, a vibrant faith is nourished by a growing trust in God, His goodness, and His trustworthiness. This trust develops over time like the rings of growth found in a thriving tree. Like a tree, faith culminates in the delicious fruit of healthy obedience.
In God’s orchard of faith and righteousness, how is your tree doing?
