The other day I read an article called “Tree Roots: Facts & Fallacies.” (Sounds interesting, I know.) The author wrote, “If a large portion of the root system is destroyed, a corresponding portion of the leaves and branches will die.” Catch that? If some of a tree’s roots are destroyed, the entire tree won’t die. Just a corresponding portion of the leaves. In other words, fewer roots, less fruit. Or, to put it positively, more roots, more fruit.

Makes me think of our spiritual lives. The apostle Paul famously wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23). The Holy Spirit produces amazing fruit when we have roots in Jesus. Think of joy, for example. Joy is that untouchable source of spiritual happiness that we tap into through faith. You can have joy even in hard times because you are forgiven, loved, and put through this “pruning” for a purpose.

Which is why your roots are so important. If you stopped reading these devotions and just went to church, your “tree of faith” might not die. If you never connected with a supporting community of fellow Christians, you’d probably make it to heaven. But you would have less fruit.

On the flip side, if you would gather for worship and grow through home devotions and invest your life in a small group of Christians, those “roots” would produce more fruit. More joy. More peace. More love. 

So which root could you plant today that would produce more fruit tomorrow?