Young and old alike, we in the Church of God can sing from memory these words from our hymnal:

"He shall be a tree that grows, planted by the riverside, which in season yields its fruit, green its leaves abide."

And therein lies a tremendous lesson for you and me. From Genesis 2 to Revelation 22, God has always wanted trees of life, bearing fruit.

Are you a tree of life? Am I? Are you a tree that can withstand the heat and drought of the summer or the cold and storms of winter? Are you bearing firstfruits of God's Spirit? Is your growth evident? And can you nourish others by your fruit? Has your time in the Church made you a tree of life?

From Genesis to Revelation, God inspired scores of examples regarding trees. In the Old Testament, trees were used for righteousness or sinning, for feeding others or leading others to death. But we don't want to be a tree of death!

In the New Testament, Jesus found a fig tree without fruit. He came looking for a fig. He was hungry for a fig. But there were no figs on the tree. Does Jesus look for fruit in you and me, only to be disappointed?

In Luke 13, Jesus described an owner who expected fruit for three years! So the owner told the keeper to chop down the tree. Nevertheless, the gardener went to bat for the tree, asking for time to work with it, dig around it and dung it. He wanted to heal the tree so it could become fruitful.

Does Jesus Christ ever tell God the Father, "Let Me work with so and so longer?" I think so. Does the ministry beseech God and Christ in the same way because they care so deeply for us? Absolutely! Therefore, when we are pruned, and the ground falls out from underneath us, and there seems to be a lot of dung around us, perhaps God is really trying to work with us.

During our anniversary, Lynn and I came upon an evergreen tree. Suddenly she said, "Look at the needles!" The old darker parts were hard. But the newer parts were lighter in color, soft and tender!

Am I a tree of life to my family and friends? Do I use tender words of praise, uplifting words of encouragement, for my spouse, my children, my Church friends, my associates? Even in correction or instruction, am I kind? Am I soft and light, easily entreated? Or am I hard and dark, closed up, negative and complaining, carping on others?

Isaiah 61:3 says we are to become "trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." So when we become discouraged or are feeling tempted to be dark, negative or sinful, let's remember these words from our hymnal: "He shall be a tree that grows, planted by the riverside, which in season yields its fruit, green its leaves abide."