Palm Ponderings

By Lisa Buffaloe  

With ocean rhythm in my ears, the sun’s warmth lulls me to a dreamy state as I sway in the hammock stretched between two majestic coconut palm trees. Through my tinted glasses, I ponder the palms that stand straight and tall in spite of the hurricane that roared through only last year.

Unfortunately, the experience merely exists in my mind. I haven’t had the privilege of lounging in a hammock by the ocean. But I do wonder how the palm trees survive heavy storms and why the Bible says… “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree …They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green…” (Psalm 92:12-15 NIV).

Why would the Bible say someone who loves God would flourish like a palm tree? What’s special about that variety? Here’s what I’ve discovered.

1.Palm trees grow upward instead of outward.
2.The leaf structure of palm trees allows the wind to pass through with a minimum of resistance.
3.The Palm lies down or bends in the wind but then can snap right back.
4.Palms have many roots, some of which can reach up to twenty feet underground, relying on deep sources of water. Their roots  get a vice grip in the ground and don’t taper or have weak links.
5.Palm trees can survive extreme heat but wither in the cold, folding down their leaves to form a blanket of insulation.
6.Palm trees only produce fruit when they are mature and some take up to fifty years before they reach maturity. Their fruit is sweet and nourishing.

Sounds pretty good—they’re hardy, long-living and a beautiful adornment for any beach. But what does that mean for us?

By keeping a heavenly perspective, it is possible to flourish in spite of difficult situations. If we plant in God’s love and sink roots deeply in Christ we can stay flexible enough to allow the Holy Spirit to move us, not our circumstances. And always remember to take precautions to stay in the presence of the SONshine. The best news is, regardless of age, God can use us, and when He does we can be nourishing to those around us.

And this palm pondering isn’t just fantasy.

 

www.lisabuffaloe.com
 
Lisa Brewer Buffaloe
www.LisaBuffaloe.com
www.ShoutLife.com/LisaBuffaloe
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