Deep Roots
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 12:3
A man is not established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.
Recently, here in my hometown, we endured a tornado outbreak. The city is still recovering. Much of the damage to homes can be attributed to fallen trees. Large oaks, maples, and elms were pushed over by the strong winds and fell on homes and businesses, causing significant structural damage.
A large tree depends on its root system, not only to supply nutrients from the ground but also to serve as an anchor to keep it upright, especially when it battles against wind and storms.
The Bible often compares men to trees. (Read Psalm 1 as an example). This analogy carries over into the tree’s root system in this proverb. A life of wickedness is an unrooted life. One might grow tall but be assured sin will eventually topple you because there is nothing below the surface to serve as an anchor.
Righteous living, on the other hand, is the kind of life that puts down anchoring roots. Unseen things are growing in the life of a righteous man. He is growing a root system that will moor him and keep him upright when the stormy winds blow.
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus similarly contrasted two lives. He compared them to two houses, one built on sand and one built on a rock. The storm took down the house built on sand, but the house built on the rock stood. Like the analogy of this proverb, the difference between the two is what lies below the surface.
Live right and you will grow strong roots. Indulge your flesh and you are setting yourself up to be knocked over when the storm comes.
