Developing Strong Roots

I spent the evening last night planting and transplanting things in my flower gardens. (Exciting, I know...). It occurred to me though, that there's a reason there are so many plant and farming analogies in the Bible.... Plants are a really good example of how we humans are (excluding, of course, the facts that they are green, consume carbon dioxide, and have no brain or will of their own).

Anyway, one of the things that plants have to do, in order to grow and flourish, is endure a little ill-treatment. For example, when you first transplant a plant like a petunia, the best thing to do is squeeze off the blossoms. Yes, they are colorful and your beds and pots don't look nearly so pretty with just the greenery, but if the plants have the opportunity to focus on developing their root system, they will be able to produce more and healthier flowers down the road. The same is true of a plant like a tomato plant. I have had the best results if the plants have to endure the beating of a wind and some pruning of blossoms.

As I look out the window at my big bed where I did a lot of transplanting, the new plants look a little droopy and uncomfortable. However, there are also some plants that were put in that bed last year and they are perky, growing and looking for an opportunity to display their color.

What in the world, you may ask, does that have to do with the book of James?

Read this introduction to the book I found in The Daily Walk Bible:

James recognizes there can be a dangerous false conclusion from the simple equation "salvation=faith + nothing." One may conclude, "As long as I have faith, it doesn't matter how I act." But James responds with ringing clarity that a faith that produces no change in attitude is really no faith at all. Partiality, neglect of the poor, quarreling, a bitter tongue, a proud attitude--all are inconsistent with the royal law of love that Christ proclaimed.

In James 1:1-12, the text talks about the fact that we as believers will have trouble that comes our way, and that we are to "consider it all joy". The questions we ask are How? and Why?

The "why" part is a little easier to understand.

Just like a plant, we will be more effective plants if our "root system" is well-established. Verses 3 and 4 say that we know "testing of our faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." After so much testing and trials, we will be able to handle anything that comes our way in Christ-like fashion. That's our end goal: to be like Christ. We won't reach that point here on earth, but we are in the process of becoming more like Christ as we live out our lives. Trials (like transplanting, pruning, and the elements) help us to develop a stronger faith (root system) so that we can produce Christ-like fruit (flowers).

We'll talk more about the "how" part next time.

Here are a couple of questions for thought and hopefully online discussion:

1) Is joy in the face of trials a form of denial?

2) How do difficulties test our faith?

3) Examine your life. Is God "pruning" you in a specific area? What are some examples of problems in your life that may be tests of faith?

To log in, go to the top right hand side of the page and click "sign in". Then you will be asked for your email address and to create a password. Then you should be set to go ahead and contribute to the blog!

Have a great day!