Exposing Your Roots

Exposing Your Roots


My dear sweet Aunt Irmarie has recently passed away and has gone to be with the Lord. For 92 years she brightened this world with grace, humility and wisdom. Over the past 4 years, we grew very close, engaging in many delightful phone conversations. She was a Christian mentor, a beloved link to my Mom and Grandmother, and a fellow ponderer. Several years ago she shared with me a few of her Sunday school notes and photos. The above photo was taken near Louisiana’s Catahoula Lake. The three carefree sisters intertwined in the roots are Daisy Wright, Ruth Wright McMillian, and Irmarie Wright Scott. I wanted to share this writing of Irmarie’s because it is so indicative of the fruits that flourished from her and all the Wright sibling’s lives.

The word of God likens man to many objects such as changing grass, fading flowers, and chaff which the wind drives away, but the writer of the first Psalm speaks of man as a tree–something of great beauty, of practical value; a living and growing thing and most important of all a fruitful thing. Read Psalm 1:1-3.

We have all, at some time or other had our attention directed to an especially beautiful tree and maybe wondered what is the secret to its beauty and strength. The leaves, limbs and trunk are evidences of strength but the real secret is in that part which cannot be seen. The source of strength is the great roots, which burrow far into the ground and reach out for life giving nourishment. We know that the roots are the trees great anchorage, that which holds it securely through storms and rains. But even a tree is secure only when its roots hold firmly in the ground. Survival depends on that which cannot be seen. As we liken ourselves to a tree we think of these words from Hebrews 3:6 “But Christ as a son over His own house whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (NKJV)

As a Christian, our strength all depends on what cannot be seen by the naked eye. When we see someone who is an outstanding Christian, we know that that person is one who hungers and thirsts after righteousness and that his roots have burrowed far down into the things of righteousness and truth. That person desires their strength from spiritual food, which goes to build all the evidences and beauty of the spiritual structure of character which is observed by others. As we think of the fruits of a Christian, we’ll think first of WISDOM… not wisdom as the world looks upon it, but wisdom in the things of God.

In Proverbs we read that “She (wisdom) is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her…” Proverbs 3:18 (KJV) and “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30 (KJV). Therefore, the natural sequence to being Godly wise is the winning of souls for the kingdom. The Bible says that the value of a soul is inestimable. So we know that it is exceedingly wise to win souls, and that the winning of one soul is a greater attainment than anything we would possibly achieve in this world. Everything else falls short.

Another fruit from this tree is HUMILITY. Humility is a sign of strength. It is impossible to be truly humble unless a person is a strong Christian character, a disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus. Strength of character is never exemplified in supposed superiority or by a proud person. Jesus was prepared to mingle with the lowly and in a humble way. Turn and read 1 Peter 5:5-6.

There are many fruits by which a Christian may be recognized and sometimes we might envy someone who is stronger spiritually than we are, the so-called pillar of the church, the one who is always dependable and who by their every action shows that he walks with God…but it is your privilege and mine as followers of Christ to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our savior and to possess this strength that comes…

There may be more but that’s all I have in my pile of papers. Thank you Mary Irmarie Wright Scott for gracing us with your blossoms. Your aroma still lingers today.

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