At one time I operated a greenhouse during the years of being landscaper at Ouachita Baptist University. In that operation, in order to grow strong, healthy, plants, the first thing you need is a loose, fine, potting soil that is slightly moist so that it will receive the moisture – good ground. If the soil is too dry, like powdery dry, it won’t receive water. The surface will be wet, but it won’t soak in. There must be plenty of sunlight, but not so much to burn things up – filtered sunlight, hence, the black mesh covering of the greenhouse. There needs to be plenty of air circulation to keep mold and mildew from setting up in the moist environment. There needs to be regular feeding, but not over feeding. If the conditions are kept in an optimal way, the plants are strong and insects and diseases are normally not a major problem. During those years I do not remember using insecticides and fungicides in the greenhouse, and certainly not on a regular basis.
The Bible refers to God’s people as “trees of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:3). For us to be good strong plants in a spiritual sense, we must have good soil. We should be humble and loose and pliable in heart, not so proud and set in our knowledge and ways that we are resistant to admitting to wrong and being in error. We need to be open to learn and receive new things and discern that they are things according to the Word of God. That is good, fine, soil. We need plenty of daily exposure to the Son so that we don’t get spindly and weak. Plenty of Son light causes our trunks to grow strong and thick and a good root system developed to support a long season of beautiful blooms. The Spirit is the breath of God. Living daily giving place to the presence of the Holy Spirit is good air circulation to keep down fungal growth in our spiritual life due to stagnation of air movement. Expressing praise, worship, and thanksgiving out loud in your own language and in the language of the Holy Spirit keeps that spiritual air moving in the house for strength and health. Regular feeding on the Word, the Son, trusting the Spirit to reveal the greatness and majesty of Jesus, is the food that brings strength and resistance to all the attacks of the spiritual “insects” that would try to devour your life. Leaves catch the sun turning it into food (photosynthesis). Insects eat leaves thus stopping us from feeding on the Son. When we fail to feed on the Son, Jesus, we have no strength of life. Jesus said man lives by the Word of God. The Word is our life source. To be strong spiritually and physically: fine, moist, enriched, loose soil, Son light, feeding on the Word, and good air circulation, keeping the presence of the Holy Spirit moving in our life. Good, strong, healthy, trees of righteousness.
