Deep Roots, Sweet Fruit
These past few weeks, we’ve been learning about living in the Kingdom of God through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. And we’ve known that the vision of Kingdom life that Jesus offers is about inside out transformation.
In this age of instant gratification, we sometimes forget that to experience the fruits of God’s kingdom, we need deeply established roots. It’s the health and quality of our roots that determine the fruits. Forming deep roots aren’t an overnight process nor at times, a delightful experience, as we see in Joseph’s life (Genesis 37-47).
The process of maturation
As we’ve learnt, Jesus teaches us counter cultural values. When we’re slapped on the right cheek, he advises us to offer up our left cheek too. When our enemies torment us, Jesus calls us to pray for them. Why did Jesus ask us to act this way as citizens of the kingdom? Why must we endure hardship patiently and humbly? Well, Jesus wanted us to live under the grace of God, and experience the blessings and reward from maturing in our character and faith in God. He was ensuring that we would go through this process of maturation, where our roots would grow deeper in righteousness and godliness.
Suppose that young Joseph became a leader in Egypt when he was still 17 years old. At a time where he arrogantly boasted about his dream to his brothers, we know that he probably wouldn’t have been mature enough to handle the responsibility and burden of being a leader. The challenges that he experienced from the point of being sold into slavery were God’s appointed means to prepare Joseph for all that was to come.
The true transformation will help you to fulfil God’s work
God is interested to work in you first before He can work through you. God has to allow you to go through a season of maturation - of setting down deeper roots and growing in the nutrients that only God can give - before we reach the harvest season where the fruit of your character will grow.
This life is rife with hurt and pain, and yet, the Lord has a plan for your pain. Romans 8:28 tells us that “God works for the good of those who love him.” We see this evidently in Joseph’s life and it’s just as true in our lives. There will even be a point where past painful experiences turn into testimonies that bless others.
But before all of this, we must ensure we are deeply rooted in God; firm in our faith and daily fulfilled and nurtured by the bread and water of life. If we try skipping this phase, we risk living as those who seem to know God but do not truly know him (as Jesus describes in Matthew 7:21-23).
If you’re going through a painful experience now, make the effort to continue building your roots in godliness and righteousness. Be patient in this process of maturation as you await God’s perfect timing for true transformation. Then will you begin to see the rich fruit.
Grow deep roots to harvest rich fruit. When you roots run deep, you cannot help but bear the fruit of the Spirit. (Michael Beckwith)
Dear God,
I am grateful that you are awesome. Help me today to understand that my challenges are to mature me in Your ways. Draw me closer to You, in my words, my thoughts and my deeds. Help me share more of my life with You, and through that, help me discover Your perfect will.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen.