Three Life Lessons from Trees

Tree of Life in Bahrain

I’ve recently become fascinated by a lone tree in a Middle Eastern desert called the “Tree of Life.” While not the original from the Garden of Eden, this Prosopis cineraria has lived over four hundred years with almost no rain in Bahrain. This enormous mesquite keeps expanding, stretching its branches to snuff out the sand. We learn several lessons about subsistence, resilience, and connecting with God from this tree:

1. We Need Deep Wells of Water

“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” -- Psalm 1:1-3, NKJV

David described a similar tree in Psalm 1. The man who delights in the Lord will be a tree that grows fruit in its season and won’t wither. God’s Word nourishes our minds with truth the way water feeds trees. People speculate that the Tree of Life’s 160-feet deep roots may stretch far enough reach the buried water table. When we deal with hardship, we have to dig deep to find our source of strength. Often in trials the Holy Spirit has recalled verses I memorized as a child to comfort my soul. These reservoirs of truth still feed my heart today. Every time I meditate on God’s Word, it creates sustenance for me to consume in drought. When we seek Him, God provides the hope we need.

2. Resistance Builds Resilience

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” – James 1:2-4, NASB 1995

James highlights that going through trials results in endurance. While the tree in Bahrain in doesn’t have much water, it has wind. Scientists once tried to grow trees in a closed environment without wind. They discovered that while these trees grew quickly, they didn’t form deep root systems. As their heights outpaced their depths, they toppled over and died. The trees needed resistance to strengthen their bark and roots. Likewise, we need a little rustling to remind us to depend on God’s strength. He allows our faith to be tested so that we can build endurance to withstand hardships. Our faith atrophies if we don’t exercise it. We keep growing spiritual muscles by persevering well. Also, God doesn’t want us to pride ourselves on our own abilities, but rely on Him alone to stand tall.

3. A Twig Bears No Leaves Apart from the Trunk

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.’” -- John 15:4-5, NKJV

John reminds us to abide in Christ because apart from Him we can do nothing. When we remain in right relationship with God, we draw strength from hidden reserves of power to flourish in dry places. Tapping into the joy of the Lord as the source of our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) fuels our lives in the desert places. When twigs break off branches, they quit growing leaves. We can’t grow spiritual fruit if we separate ourselves from the branch of Christ. Disciplining ourselves to stay in the Word yields an abundant harvest of spiritual fruit.

God nourishes the Tree of Life with water and uses wind to build endurance so it can stand long and strong. May we also remain attached to the trunk of Christ and receive His food for our souls, so we may honor Him.

• What actions will you take this week to water your soul?
• How has God used trials in your life to build endurance?
• Are there any things that divide your attention from connecting to the Lord? If so, what can you do to put your focus back on Christ?