Where are you planted?

Everyone is planted somewhere. When you look around at your surroundings, at your lifestyle, at the things that take up your time and energy, what do you see? In Psalm 1 the writer says:

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither and in whatever he does he prospers…”

This psalm shows us where not to be planted, and where to be planted. He says we need to keep from planting ourselves in the counsel of the wicked, and in the path of sinners, and in the seat of scoffers. But rather we need plant ourselves in the law of the Lord, and meditate on it day and night. He then gives an illustration of a tree that is firmly planted by streams of water whose leaves will not wither and he says the one who delights in the law of the Lord will be like this tree.

Everybody is planted somewhere. When you look at your surroundings, what do you see? Are you someone who is standing in the path of sinners? Do you walk with the wicked? Are you sitting in the seat of scoffers? What you surround yourself with will impact your spiritual tree. Your spiritual tree will wither and fade, and get weeds and rot away if you’re not planted in the right place. On the other hand, if you plant yourself in the law of the Lord, and in Godly things, with Godly surroundings. Your spiritual tree will blossom, and grow, and never wither away.

So I ask you, where are you planted? Who you surround yourself with, what you spend your time focusing on, and what you fill your life with will impact your spiritual tree. Are you withering away, or thriving in bloom?

— Kolton Ballance