As an enthusiastic gardener, I know how important roots are to plants. When I take a plant cutting and put it directly in the soil, it rarely sprouts; it usually withers quickly. But if I put the cutting in water, roots develop on the stem within a few days. When I then plant the cutting in the soil, it is established and grows. Roots make the difference between life and death.
The Bible speaks about roots using various analogies. After receiving Jesus as our Savior, we are to stay rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith (Colossians 2:6–7). Staying rooted in Jesus means staying in His Word because Jesus is the Word (John 1:1). A person who delights in the Word of God is likened to a tree growing near streams of water, whose roots are in fertile soil, and which yields fruit in its season (Psalm 1:2–3). Bearing good fruit is both manifesting godly character in our lives (Galatians 5:22–23) and bringing others to Jesus (Proverbs 11:30).
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus talks about seeds which fell on rocky ground and sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, they were scorched and withered away, because they had no roots. Shallow soil symbolizes the hearts of those who do not let the Word of God take root in their lives, and therefore, they fall away during times of testing. Good soil symbolizes the hearts of believers who receive God’s Word and let it take root in their lives. They bring forth abundant fruit for God’s glory (Matthew 13:3–8, 18–23).
The best way to completely remove a plant from the soil is to pull it out by its roots. In the Parable of the Weeds, Jesus tells of a farmer who sowed good seed in his field. But an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. Later, as the plants grew, the weeds also appeared. When growing, wheat and weeds look very much alike. So, the farmer decided to let both grow until the harvest when it would be easy to separate them.
Jesus explains the parable by saying that He has planted His children in the field of the world. The devil has also planted his children among them. At the time of the harvest—Jesus’ return at the end of the age—He will command His angels to root out all evil doers from the world. God’s children will then shine brightly in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:24–30, 37–43).
May we each bear fruit in our part of the field of the world where God has planted us.