blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
he is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
in all that he does, he prospers.
the wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish. [psalm 1]
where the tree is planted makes a difference. when planted by streams of water the tree grows and produces fruit. but move the tree away from the water and it withers and is as useless as the chaff which is blown away in the wind.
when we are planted in the presence of God we grow and produce fruit for the benefit of those around us. but when we are planted under the counsel of the wicked we do not.
evaluate the fruit in your life. does your prosperity benefit others?
if not, come back to the presence of God. plant yourself in his word and be nourished in his presence.
~ keith kozlowski