In her discussion she posed the following question to the class: "What does guarding your heart in ministry look like? Do you need to do that? If so, how?"
My mind immediately went to Psalm 92:12. Quoting here from the NIV:
"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon."
This is a passage that has been especially meaningful to me for decades. I remember teaching on it in a lunch-time Bible study back in the late 1980s. What I want to focus on here is just the first part: "flourish like a palm tree."
Palm Trees
I'm a native Floridian. Because of that, I'm pretty familiar with palm trees. The name of my elementary school was "Sabal Palm" and, needless to say, it was landscaped with them. While the big ones that you probably picture are native further "down the state" (south), we do have some of the smaller ones that grow natively in the "black jack woods" in northern and central Florida.
But, to the point, what does it mean to "flourish like a palm tree" and how does that tie to the question posed during today's lesson?
When a storm is "moving in" (heading onshore from the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico), the trees begin to respond to the winds and changing conditions. The palm trees begin to sway in the wind. However, unlike "hardwood" trees, the palm is limber and flexible. While many of the other trees may have limbs snapped off or even the whole tree snapped in two, the palm trees just let those winds of adversity blow on through. I'm sure you have seen them on the news during hurricanes swaying back and forth. However, though it may lose some of it's fronds (leaves), when the storm passes, the palm tree "shakes it off" and is still standing while many of the trees around them may not be.
You may occasionally see a palm tree that has been uprooted, due to lack of a sufficient root system. The need for a proper root system, one deeply grounded, is an issue to be addressed.
Yet the bark of the palm, that is flexible enough to allow for what I just described, is very tough. It is almost impenetrable. Why is that important?
The palm tree has a "heart." In recent years, you may have seen "heart of palm" salad on a menu in an upscale restaurant. If so, it was likely expensive. It is made with what we refer to as the "meat" from the heart of a palm tree, which is deemed quite delicious. It is harvested by cutting through that very tough bark (no easy task; in years past, I've helped do it) to get to the core of the tree to cut out that soft, edible center. [Are you starting to get the picture?]
Like a human or animal, the palm tree cannot live without it's heart. Once the heart is cut out, the palm tree will die.
Let me now return to the question posed: "What does guarding your heart in ministry look like? Do you need to do that? If so, how?"
To "flourish like a palm tree," we must:
- be flexible
- firmly rooted
- have a tough hide
- have a tender heart
First, we must learn to allow the storm to blow around us without breaking us. Sometimes standing "righteously rigid" can be a hazard. Not the "righteous" part; just the "rigid" part. We can allow a religious spirit to drive us and not be able to lean into the wind and allow the wind of the Holy Spirit to "hold us together" in the midst of the storm.
Second, we need to make sure we are properly rooted, making sure we are "rooted and grounded in love." (Ephsians 3:17) If we do not have a sufficient depth to our root system, when the storm blows, it will pull the roots out of the soil and leave us lying flat!
Third, we need to have "tough hide" - or put another way, "thick skin." We need to not be easily offended by what people do or say. In Matthew 18:21, Peter asks Jesus a question: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” I'm sure Peter thought he was being very generous with his forgiveness. But Jesus didn't seem to think so. In verse 22, "Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" Then Jesus goes on to expound on how we need to forgive others, if we want the Father to forgive us.
Fourth, we need to develop an impenetrable hide that does not allow the fiery darts of the enemy to penetrate and get to our heart. How do we do that? By forgiving quickly - before a seed of offense can take root and begin to grow. That is how we keep a tender heart.
I hope from now on anytime you see a palm tree or hear it referenced, you will remember the lessons we can learn from the wonderful piece of nature:
- Be flexible in adversity and lean into the Holy Spirit.
- Grow your roots deep in the Lord and be grounded in His love.
- Have "thick skin" so you are not easily offended.
- Forgive quickly so your heart may remain tender and to be desired.
