Life is often about extending our reach.  Extending our influence, our relationships, our financial goals, our career ambitions, even our lifespan.  But reaching can lead to toppling.  Just ask anyone who’s tried to reach too far while up on a ladder!  So here’s how to prevent toppling in life.

Your reach will be determined by your roots.  If you think of your life as a tree, then realize that the branches (reach or impact) can’t go beyond what the roots can support.  To impact others around you, or to extend your relationships, or your career requires greater reach…which requires greater roots.  Otherwise, the tree will eventually topple over.  Sometimes we refer to that toppling as burnout.  Or moral failure.  Or career-limiting-moves.  Or incompetence.  But all these share a common cause…a lack of rootedness.

So this year, as you consider the impact you’d like your life to have, give some thought to how you’re going to develop your roots.  You may want to consider some of the classic practices of the Christian faith.  Things like prayer, reflecting on Scripture, solitude, or fasting. You may want to revisit your calendar and add things like community, worship, and service. These and others practices all have the potential to drive our roots deeper into the person of Jesus Christ.  And when we do that, we can reach further, influence greater, and bear much fruit in the coming year.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7, NIV, emphasis added)

What will you do this year to develop your roots?

-Pastor Mark

P.S. Did you come up with one word?  Or one verse?  (see last week’s post)