I picked out a word in Psalm 1 that stands out to me. It was hard to choose. The word chaff was the winner. In all honesty, I had to look up the definition. That is why it stood out to me. I like to learn about new words. Chaff is the loose, outer covering on wheat and other grains that must be separated in the threshing and winnowing process of harvesting grain. Psalm 1 uses chaff to compare what we shouldn’t be. The wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away Psalm 1:4.
It is incredibly scary to know that we can so easily fall to be something so worthless. Chaff appears to be a worthless piece of the land that has no use, no significance, or no meaning. Why would we want to walk through life being like chaff? I cannot imagine that anyone wants to be chaff, but our actions make us like chaff. Every day we are gifted the opportunity to make choices. What a powerful gift that is. We wake up with designated tasks to complete, but we get to make decisions within all those tasks and life’s demands. Powerful, impactful decisions that can alter the course of your life, better yet, others! Truly a gift.
The rest of Psalm one concentrates on further comparing. It’s as if King David needed to dumb down the words to make us understand. Unfortunately, the idiots that we can be made that necessary. The comparisons are the land. We are told to be like the tree planted, yielding fruit with non-withering leaves. Whatever this glorious tree shall do, it will prosper, as long as it meditates in the law of our lord day and night. Thankfully, the bible is old, only having the land to use to show us the glory to come. Can you imagine if the bible was written during today’s society? I think it would go something like this…
That person is like the stock market, made of meaningless income and greed; it can crash and fall at any given time, turn the best of friends against one another, make the souls so ugly they don’t get to stand in the judgment, instead, cast into destruction and turmoil. Obviously, the wicked as described in Psalm one, but what about the good? What about the people who are trees with strong, untouchable leaves? Sadly, I cannot think of a comparison. I cannot pinpoint anything on this earth that I’ve ever encountered worthy of comparison to this bountiful tree. Dang, that’s awful. Maybe you can think of something; if so, please share. This something has to be so strong that it can hold everyone and everything up with it to prosper all the surroundings. This something must be so pure that it cannot be tainted by cruelty or touched by improper judgment. Lastly, this something must be so incredibly inviting, inviting others to be like it because it’s the all-powerful way of life. Surely when another individual sees something strong, pure, and inviting, they will want to be just like it. Beautiful things are hidden from the naked eye every day, only because we aren’t looking for the beauty in unsightly objects. Our eyes are focused on the outside, hardly on the inside. Think about how unsightly a tree can be on the outside, but on the inside, the core is built with imperfect circles, jagged edges that follow the pattern throughout, and strategically placed wood fibers to hold up the immense weight the tree. Not to mention the smell; if trees smell just as good on the inside as they do when they are freshly cut, I’m a goner. I love that smell.
Now I’m led to think of all the trees that get cut down by people like my brother. The reason varies between preventing destruction or disease from impacting those surrounding the tree or the pesky nasty beetles that flutter by your face in the night. Don’t tell me it doesn’t happen; you know it does. Gross. They cut those trees down because they are called to do so, whatever the reason. They are responsible for judging those trees. Does this not remind you of the biblical association? Be like the tree who prospers, and those trees which do not fall to destruction and demise. Be like the tree, grow in the right spot, so your branches don’t fall on a child’s trampoline, so your roots don’t clog your neighbor’s sewer, so you don’t inflict unsightly beetles into our humble homes.
Therefore, be like the tree, spread your Christianity beyond what your branches can reach, know where it needs to go. Keep your judgments and delusions inside to strengthen the beauty and uniqueness of your core. Share the fruit you will prosper on your strong branches and hold your peers up while your at it. Maybe hold a tire swing or two if you are up for it. Be like the tree whose roots do not bring your neighbor’s anger. Keep them controlled; anticipate disgust by not doing something to them that you wouldn’t want to be done to yourself. C’mon people, that we learned back in kindergarten. Where did that knowledge go when you started yourself in a position to envelope others with your love for Christ? Lastly, be like the tree; spread your seeds of encouragement, inspiration, and overall delight for what is to come to everyone! Let them seep through the closed and sealed-off windows of their homes. Even though it is visually impossible, the type of seal that box elder bugs conquer! Use your words to empower one another, not tear each other’s branches down to watch the leaves fall. Be like the tree, not the chaff.
For a fun activity this morning, I asked Raelynn to interpret Psalm 1. In her words it means. To be the person who prays to him day and night, the wheat thing, that comes off before you eat oatmeal, that is bad for you. That some people choose to have sin. There’s no type of police officer law in the Lord. Kind of like everybody can be really nice even if they don’t have to. They choose to be nice. How many eyes does the Lord have? He has to watch over millions of people at one time. I really like number 6, the Lord watches over they way of righteousness but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. I think that the wicked should be gone (with big eyes), all because of the fruit eaten by Adam and Eve. I think that the Lord walks with us every where we go, like if we are scared at night from monsters, he’ll be with us in our bed.
As always, photo credits to my brother in law, Tony Loomer. It just so happens he is always like the tree, and enjoys sharing photos of his tree. Gifted, inspiring, and has a legacy of his own. Thank you Tony
Comments