Roots

A couple of weeks ago I had a great conversation with some pastors from different cities in FL. These guys are walking Jesus in their communities and planting the Kingdom around them. Really good stuff. As we were meeting together one of these pastors (check out his blog) told a story that was funny, sad, and profound all at the same time. I'm not going to retell his story, but I do want to share some of my thoughts since hearing that story.

Have you ever taken a potted plant and planted it in the ground? I have on occasion, but recently my wife planted some marigolds, both from seeds and from pots. Initially the potted marigolds looked much better than the ones planted from seeds because they had already had flowers and there was no waiting involved. After a while the seeds sprouted up and they caught up to the potted marigolds in size and beauty. Then we didn't get rain for a while and the marigolds didn't get watered. Guess what happened? The formerly potted marigolds quickly withered in the sun and almost died completely. The planted marigolds struggled as well, but took much longer to wither and recovered as soon as they received some water. At this point, the planted marigolds are big and beautiful again and the formerly potted marigolds are dead. What do you suppose is the reason for the difference? Simply put... the roots.