Blessed Man 5

      "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

     Through meditation on the word of God, the blessed man taps a source of life and renewal outside himself. Like a tree growing on the river bank his roots grow deep into life giving water. The nearer the river the tree grows; the more reliable and plentiful is his supply. The seed that was planted has only a spark of life and will not grow to maturity unless it reaches the water of life. Fed from the river the seed becomes a tree and when it reaches a full age, the tree is a conduit of life; transforming life within the seed and the water into that which others need. This is also true of the blessed man. He receives the word of God by contact with the Divine and transforms it into living faith; fruit to feed others. 

    Jesus taught His disciples that the surest way to know a man is to look at the fruit he produces. The blessed man produces spiritual fruit. These are not good works per se, but spiritual traits that manifest themselves in all a man does and says. Paul says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

     The blessed man knows some things about fruit. First of all, fruit comes in seasons. The tree branches are not constantly drooping with ripe fruit. There is a time and a season for every thing, and that includes spiritual fruit. Moreover, fruit does not appear on the branch fully formed and ripe. It begins as a tiny bud and grows in stages into mature fruit. Finally, when all is said and done, some trees are just more productive than others. This does not diminish the quality of the fruit a tree produces--the very fact that it produces is proof enough its roots are in the right place.

     Like the tree, the blessed man does not live in a vacuum. He lives in the real day to day world of rain and sunshine. Until Jesus comes again, men will live by the sweat of their brow. Life is a struggle against the ravishes of sin that have scarred our life and our planet. Droughts, disease, wind and cold will come. Their effects will show in the branches, leaves and fruit. The blessed man is not always riding the high places of heaven or sitting on top of the world. However, he is always fed by the water of life so that even in drought he rejoices in God.

      Which brings me to what it means to prosper. God is not opposed to wealth; neither is poverty a ticket to sainthood. Just as His people come in all shapes, sizes and colors, so they also vary in economic and social standing. Paul said, "...I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." It is a sad truth that some do not know how to suffer need and hold their salvation intact. Others do not know how to abound and stay grounded. There is no treasure greater than one's soul. Paul was saying that he could weather any condition because of the strength he drew from being rooted in Christ. To be rooted and grounded in Christ is in, and of itself, true prosperity.