The weather and the forces of nature affect us in various ways. We love the bright sunny days and we dislike, or even dread, the dreary rainy ones. Beautiful days uplift us but gloomy days can be harder to endure. 

Life can be a matter of perspective. A change of perspective can change our outlook and affect our success in a world of constantly changing situations and circumstances. A positive perspective (having faith, hope, thankfulness and the outpouring of love) can help us stand firm and flourish through any experience, while a negative perspective can stifle us. 

The Bible often teaches us perspective through different vantage points such as parables, metaphors or similes. Something may be like bread, water or rocks. People may be similar to sheep, goats, soil or trees. There are trusting sheep, stubborn and contrary goats, various soil types and many varieties of trees.

Speaking specifically about trees, some trees can withstand extreme heat and sunlight, drought, storms or the cold. Trees have to endure different climates and conditions in various parts of the world. Some thrive in specific climates but do poorly in other regions where they might wither and die. Some do well almost anywhere.

Do we, as Christians, do well anywhere we are found, enduring in any and all circumstances (2 Timothy 2:3 2 Timothy 2:3You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
American King James Version×, 10)? When life is stormy and bitter should and can we endure, continuing to grow (2 Corinthians 6:4 2 Corinthians 6:4But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
American King James Version×)? We should neither whither nor deteriorate! Physically we all will become less vibrant over time and we will die, but spiritually we must continue to grow and be productive. 

Let’s briefly focus in on two types of trees mentioned in the Bible: the sturdy, mighty oak (Isaiah 6:13 Isaiah 6:13But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
American King James Version×) and the strong, majestic cedar (2 Chronicles 2:3 2 Chronicles 2:3And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As you did deal with David my father, and did send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.
American King James Version×; 1 Kings 7:2 1 Kings 7:2He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars.
American King James Version×). Oak is solid, rugged and useful in the shade it provides. Cedar grows tall and is firmly rooted, providing timber. They are both sturdy, strong and productive (Amos 2:9 Amos 2:9Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
American King James Version×). Other trees are fruit bearing, and they too are very useful, such as fig trees (Zechariah 3:10 Zechariah 3:10In that day, said the LORD of hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.
American King James Version×; Micah 4:4 Micah 4:4But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken it.
American King James Version×) and date palms (Exodus 15:27 Exodus 15:27And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and three score and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
American King James Version×). Figs are a good food source and also can provide shade. Dates are sweet fruits and their leaves can be made into baskets, brooms, mats and rope.

A godly person is useful to the Lord (2 Peter 1:8 2 Peter 1:8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
American King James Version×) and produces good things (Matthew 12:35 Matthew 12:35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
American King James Version×). We know that a tree is identified by its fruit (Matthew 12:33 Matthew 12:33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
American King James Version×). Let’s view ourselves as the cedars and the palm trees—sturdy, strong and useful (Psalms 92:12 Psalms 92:12The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
American King James Version×). Spiritually, we should be productive and unmoved by storms, heat or unfavorable conditions. Whatever the hardships or joys that life may bring, we should strive to be like trees planted by the riverside (Psalms 1:3 Psalms 1:3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
American King James Version×; Jeremiah 17:8 Jeremiah 17:8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreads out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat comes, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
American King James Version×).

Our focus should be on Jesus Christ, and our perspective should be that of sons and daughters in the Kingdom of God our Father. When Jesus returns let us be found acceptable and still flourishing (Psalms 92:14 Psalms 92:14They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
American King James Version×) so that we may live forever in the house of the Lord (Hosea 14:6 Hosea 14:6His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
American King James Version×; Psalms 23:6 Psalms 23:6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
American King James Version×). 

Vincent Braddock