Called to Flourish
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” –Psalm 1
I picked up my Bible this morning and read Psalm 1. Right next to the text, I read a note that I previously scribbled. I don’t recall whether this was from me or someone else, but God definitely used it to stir my heart.
“A tree bears fruit not for itself but for others. Therefore, when the faithful prospers everyone around the faithful benefits.”
I love this! The imagery is so good. As followers of Jesus, we get to know and hear from God by reading His word and seeking his heart. As we bear fruit — we do so not for ourselves but for others. And when we bear fruit, when we reflect the undeniable love of Jesus, everyone around us begins to flourish.
Here’s a question for all of us….
Are we firmly planted in God’s word and constantly seeking God in everything we do?
In other words, like the Psalmist writes, are we like a tree planted by streams of water that yields abundant fruit? OR are we trying to bareknuckle our own way through ministry ultimately destroying our fruit (and others) in the process? Jesus makes it crystal clear, “[i]f you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:15).
Let’s pray that Healing Haiti will be a ministry marked by a deep connection to Jesus, and as we faithfully seek Him, the people around us in Titanyen, Cite Soleil, and Delmas begin to flourish.
Post written by Mike McCain, CEO of Healing Haiti