Roots

 

How important are roots? When we look at a plant, we don’t always think about their root system, yet it’s there doing a very important job. Roots help to anchor and nourish a plant. If a plant is pulled out of the soil..it will only last for so long until it begins to wither and die.

I have been attempting to grow sunflowers. I love them and always wanted to start my own garden. Well, that has proved to be more complicated than I thought.

When my husband and I first purchased some seeds, we thought we would just plant them in a part of the garden at the front of the house. We did just that. We waited and waited, but nothing grew. We planted some more seeds and this time we realized why nothing grew. They had become food for the birds! No sooner did we put them in the ground did the birds pull them out; I’m sure much to their delight.

Lesson number one: It matters where you’re planted.

After careful consideration we bought a large planting pot and decided that this time we would outsmart the birds. We planted the seeds in this ceramic pot and put it in our patio enclosure. Much to our delight within days..yes days…they started to grow! Since they were growing so fast, I went back to the seed packet to find out when the best time was to transplant them. We hadn't really bothered to understand the details in our rush to grow our garden.

Across the back of the seed packet in bold letters it said “plant seeds in a biodegradable pot for transplant because roots are not stable”. In other words, the flowers might die when we transplant them because their root system isn’t strong enough to endure the change. I looked at the pretty ceramic (non-biodegradable) pot we bought that held these highly sensitive green friends of mine. This didn’t seem like it was going to turn out well.

Lesson number two: Root stability is important in order to weather change.

Each day as these sensitive green buds grow ever bigger, I contemplate what I will do when transplant day arrives.

As I look at them, I find a lesson that is all too true. It matters where we’re planted. It matters what we have around to influence and effect us. Are we surrounded by things that can help us or hurt us? Our growth is dependent on a place where we can actually grow, be nourished and flourish.  It’s hard to grow strong roots if you never even get a chance to bud.

As I look at them, I think of Matthew 13:1-9.

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.  As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.  But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.  Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.  Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

Jesus explained:

“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:  The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.  The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.  The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.  The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” -Matthew 13:18-23

It begs the question where and what are we planted in? How’s our soil? Have we been able to grow strong roots or do we blow over at even the small storms of our lives? How are the roots of our faith? Do we know what we believe and stand confident in our conviction? Are we planted in the right place for our faith to grow?

The storms of life can either threaten our roots of faith or strengthen them. The winds of change and the hurricanes of challenge can pull us off our feet or prove to strengthen our grip to the soil of truth.  

I hope to one day have a beautiful sunflower garden. I never imagined how challenging these early times of growth would be on that future hope. I had my heart set on this sunflower garden teaming with flowers taller than myself. I wasn’t giving the needed time and attention to how important stabilizing the root system would be.

This is true for our faith as well. We can get ahead of ourselves without taking time to truly grow our roots. To dig in deeply to our beliefs and convictions. We all struggle with varying degrees of doubt in our faith at times. As the disciples huddled in the upper room fearful of their fate, Jesus appeared to them. The first thing he said was “Peace be with you”. We lose peace in our lives when our faith struggles. We have a risen savior who invites us to truly get to know Him. 

Do we spend time tending to the soil of our faith, keeping it nourished and able to sustain our roots? It matters where we’re planted so that our roots can weather the storms of life and our gardens can grow.

Tend to your faith. Feed it and grow it, because it will not only prove to nourish your life, but the lives of others around you as well.

“Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” (Matt 13:23)

-Pastor Patti