Several years ago we planted a willow tree in our backyard. As long as we pampered it with plenty of moisture, it thrived. One summer, however, during a drought, the residents of our town were asked to stop watering lawns and gardens. As we discontinued watering our willow, its leaves started turning yellow and it died.
One morning as I glanced over at a neighbor's oak tree, which had been standing for nearly a century and still looked as green and fresh as ever, I couldn't help comparing the two trees. The willow tree's root system was primarily near the surface. The oak, however, was so deeply rooted that all through the years it had held firmly in the soil. And now in time of drought and extreme heat it was as stately and beautiful as ever.
While I was thinking of these two trees, I realized the great importance of rooting thought deeply in spiritual understanding—an understanding of God that fortifies and helps us to weather whatever adversities we may face daily. As we read in Proverbs, "Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it." Prov. 16:22.
