17 July | EVERYONE
«Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.» Jeremiah 17:7, 8
From time to time, you have to sit and look, and take in the bigger picture. I invite you today to contemplate human attitudes with the joy of the farmer who begins to eat, satisfied, in front of his fields full of ripe fruits. It is you. Everything around you is the quiet of a family home that appreciates the abundance of bread and smiles. There is joy in your heart and bliss in your soul. You are a tree planted next to the streams of water and you drink the essence of life that enables you to be fruitful and happy.
That is the picture that Jeremiah describes in the verse above. The divine promise does not affirm that there will be no times of drought, but that, in the midst of it, whoever trusts in God will bear fruit.
What a contrast to those who place their trust in human resources, and not in God. Those, says Jeremiah, “shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited” (17:6).
Abandoned land, cruel dry sand, poor dry shrubs in the desert. Who wants such a life?
Therefore, in the midst of the turmoil of the competitive world in which we live, it is worth stopping to evaluate whether or not we are planted next to streams of pure water. Whether our trust is placed in God, or in human effort.
Take Action
Stop for a while today to take a look at your life. Are you “planted” next to pure waters, or in the most arid desert? If you can, evaluate it and share reflections on it with someone close to you (spouse, children, parents, siblings, faithful friends...). Sing “A Tree by the Waters” (if possible, with your family).