A Flourishing Tree

Proverbs 11:28 A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

Proverbs is just full of pithy phrases like this one, that captures the essence of the expansive joy that comes from a life centered around God. I think people's ideas about a God-centered life are all about what one has to give up -- and there is no doubt that to really engage with a spiritual path does involve a certain kind of discipline. There is a giving up of easy pleasure for a joy that is more sustaining and less self-destructive. There is the imperative to keep engaging with spiritual practices, even when they seem dry, because in the long run they keep you on the path. There is the value of persisting at a challenging task because the ultimate fulfillment proves so much more satisfying partly because of that effort and commitment.

Before I had my son, it seemed to me that all the messages about having children were about the trouble they demanded; all the things I would have to give up, like time to do whatever I wanted, or a good night's sleep; all the challenges they would provide. It wasn't until after I held him and took care of his every need that I feel madly and deeply in love with him and discovered the joy and riches of being a parent. Like the spiritual path, being a parent is deeply challenging; a kid will call into question your most basic values and understanding about what life is all about. It is also about the most rewarding and satisfying experience I can imagine, because it demands all of what I am.

In short, a life with god at its center expands and enriches your experience; put anything else there, whether pleasure or wealth or accumulation or even achievement and you've got less, a restricted life, a life that sucks itself dry, that eats its own tail, that falls back on nothing.

Prayer: Dear God, It is challenging at times to stay committed to the path I walk with You. Help me remember the rich, fulfilling life You offer in return for my faithfulness; that though the gate is narrow, the reward is expansive. Amen