Prosper

Prosper

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

THE BEST CLIMBING TREE in the neighborhood resides in my backyard. A basswood, its symmetrical branches stretch wide and low, creating perfect perches for those content with observing the world from seven feet high while simultaneously allowing the adventurous among us to climb high into the canopy until mothers gather underneath, demanding a return to earth.

And now, it is dying. When we first moved in, it appeared to be prospering, despite one strong root protruding slightly aboveground, wrapping back in on itself and around the tree. I pondered why a root would wrap around instead of reaching out and sinking deep into the earth, but thought nothing more when all else seemed to be well. I didn’t know then that we had a girdling root, and that its stranglehold on our tree meant an early death.

It was last summer that a significant branch stretching high into the sky had died, and we’ve watched this spring as growth on one side of the tree started far thicker and greener than the growth on the side with the girdling root. And now, this fall, the dying has continued, more branches, more sections of my favorite tree withering away. As silly as it sounds, I’m heartbroken.

Trees with girdling roots will live for a time, but they do not prosper. Their roots are trained by their potting container to circle, unable to break the circling cycle to grow deep and wide. And, unable to do anything else but strangle, the trees die far before their life cycle naturally ends.

Humans are the same. When we focus too much on ourselves, spending our resources solely on us, we create our own girdling roots, strangling ourselves with our navel-gazing. It’s when we stretch out, reach out, look out for those around us, seeing beyond ourselves to meet the needs of others that we prosper. Scripture is replete with imagery of rootedness, and it invokes depth and width and breadth because that is how we prosper. We live best when we are deeply connected with God and are actively living out our faith by engaging with those around us.

Lord, show us where we have girdling roots, ideas or preoccupations that are too narrowly focused, slowly strangling us. Amen.

-Julie

One Good Step: Perform a random act of kindness today, prayerfully asking God to put someone across your path.