Psalm 1:3 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.
I love plants and trees. Our yard is filled with vegetation that we have planted and cultivated. We spend time pruning, watering, fertilizing, enjoying. We put in time and effort in order to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
We have on peach tree in our yard. This is the first year we have enjoyed the fruit. And boy is it delicious! The peaches are the sweetest we have ever eaten. They are so delicious, we will be planting many more fruit trees next year!
This first Psalm in the Scriptures sets the stage for how these songs of the Jewish community and that of the Early Church are to be heard. It lays out where we should be going to get the wisdom that will lead us through this life.
It does this by first laying out where we shouldn’t be getting wisdom. We can’t get it from those who are morally bankrupt. They have nothing of value to offer us. We don’t want to pace our life following their example.
When I was in the Army we would go for some very long walks. One in particular was twelve miles long. And we only had so much time to complete it. So we kept track of the time and of the distance we had traveled. We knew at so many minutes we had to be so far along. We paced our walk based on time and distance.
In the same way, when we want to be blessed, experiencing the best of what the life of God has to offer, we need to pace our journey, not after the pace of those who have no idea what life is about. We need to have accurate measures by which we can pace ourselves. Those who don’t seek the LORD live by a very different measure.
We, by contrast, need to be connected to the source life, the very waters that will sustain us. In the desert climate of the Middle East, water was the one commodity that you kept track of at all times. You are always aware of the local springs, wells, streams, wadi’s and oasis. Water meant life, so you always know where you can find some if you need it.
The next thing that people who seek the LORD have is a fulfilling purpose. The reason for out peach tree is the fruit. If it didn’t bear fruit, it would be a failure as a peach tree. So too, we must be fulfilling our purpose. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23) These characteristics are to define us because they are the very qualities in which holy living abounds.
And you can’t fake fruit. If it doesn’t have that sweet flavor, it hasn’t matured. Part of what makes fruit sweet is the result of good foliage the previous year. If the plant is healthy, it will be storing energy and vitality for produce more fruit the next year. If the leaves don’t do their job, the tree will be too weak to produce fruit.
And the final sign that someone is living the life we were designed to live is abundance. There should be enough fruit to bless other people and the world. We are not to be only self-sustaining farmers. What we produce should have the effect that people come to us and ask us the secret of our life.
So what fruit do other people experience when they are with us? If that was the only fruit people experienced, would they be drawn to come back for more? Would they want to produce this kind of fruit themselves?
So, how is your fruit?
The Arnold Journey 