Dirty Truth

“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6 Amplified Bible)

It was the most unusual tree, like no other magnolia I had ever seen—all three feet of it. After researching several gardening books, I found no magnolia species with soft, lime-green leaves. Watering and regular feeding did not alter the tree’s appearance nor encourage blooms. What kind of magnolia tree did not grow or display an array of beautiful flowers?

After fifteen years, the sad little tree had grown to around seven feet and managed to put out a few flowers per season. After mentioning our disappointing tree to a farmer friend, his response was, “What kind of dirt do you have in your yard?” When he heard it was clay, he said to add nitrogen to the soil all around the tree. We carried out his advice, and the results were astounding; we saw immediate improvement, growth, and blooms.

The once-anemic-looking magnolia tree now proudly stands more than thirty feet tall. Its full branches boast of lush, dark green leaves and plate-sized flowers fill the tree each year. The beautiful sight confirms that even though the tree ate regularly, it was starving; it needed more than a typical tree diet to thrive.

The once-sickly tree stirs several questions: Do you sometimes look or feel “off-color” and insignificant? Have you grown “tall” spiritually? Does your life produce lush and ripe, or puny and tasteless? What’s in your dirt? The dirty truth is your life-soil may need a nitrogen boost. New believers in God’s redeeming grace are babes in Christ. For them (and mature Christians) to live righteously, they must nurture themselves daily with God’s Word, communion with God (prayer), keep a teachable spirit, and walk obediently in God’s truths. By doing these things, the soul is satisfied, and healthy Christ-like growth will happen. You will find complete satisfaction as you give God access to the soil of your life and yield in service to Him each day. Your life’s “fruit and blossoms” will bring much glory to His great name and bless others.