This morning as the sun arose above the towering pines, filtering between gently waving palms, I sat in awe of God’s creation. As the sunlight flickered toward the yearning magnolia, her flowers began to dance in the breeze and released a joyful fragrance too beautiful for words.
Noticing the dew heavy on the grass, I placed my chair where I wouldn’t get my feet wet. As I began to praise my Lord for His magnificent creation and the great refreshing it brings to my soul, I waited for Him to speak. He did.
It seemed like an odd thing to me what He spoke, but He has revealed many mysteries to me in this manner. Today would be no different. He told me to learn about the “dew”. The “dew”?!?!?! You want me to learn about the “dew”? Before I tell you about the dew, I must give you some context…
For the last week or two I have spent many of my free hours looking at trees. In particular, the magnificent magnolia outside my window, because trees are an incredible working model of a business. In Scripture we find trees repeatedly being used as object lessons to portray truths, but in a practical sense the Scripture teaches that first of all, trees are for food (Gen 1:29) and for sheer enjoyment (Gen 2:9) and for building stuff (Gen 6:14, 1 Kings 5, etc).
A business is meant to supply us with those same things. First of all, a business is a source of provision (food). The better we tend it, the better it produces. Secondly, it can also provide a quality of life that rises above survival level to enjoyment. The Bible speaks in Gen 2:9 that some trees were made just for their beauty and we read often about palm trees that were merely decorative in nature. A business is meant to not only provide basic provision, but also enhance the quality and enjoyment of life. If yours is not doing that, you may be requiring too much too soon (Leviticus 19:23). Not that you have to wait three years before being sustained by it, but you will harm it if you demand too much, too early.
Thirdly, some trees are grown strictly for their use in building materials or for furniture, etc. With trees we build our homes, churches, barns, and many creature comforts. A business should be used to build a future that not only serves us, but others. A tree, my friends, is a living illustration of a business enterprise. We can learn much about business from a tree. In fact…
More than 20 years ago when faced with a tight financial situation, I went to the woods and the Lord asked me, “Where did the tree get its wood from?” I did not know. We get metal from the earth, but where exactly does wood come from?
In one test from an earlier century, botanists took a five pound tree, put it in a bucket with twenty pounds of dirt, placed it indoors with plenty of sunlight and watered it regularly. A year later, the tree weighed one hundred pounds and the dirt had only lost less than an ounce of weight. Where did the tree get the wood from?
He said when I find out where the tree gets its wood from I would understand how to get the riches in Heaven distilled into tangible form. (Phil 4:19) Such is the mystery and wonder of trees. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter… It is the glory of kings to search it out!
According to science text books, trees require exactly seven things to exist beginning with the seed, plus six more. What those things mean and how they apply to business and life are essential knowledge. Furthermore, a tree has seven major parts according to the science texts I have read. When you understand those, you will know better how to structure your business.
I am considering sharing these mysteries with you in two ways. The first method is through the snapshot found in any individual blog. The second will be the in-depth teaching done live, but recorded, to folks who are interested in the MPI Business Institute. The reason I don’t share it all with my blog readers is because not all my blog readers are interested in knowing how to build, grow and prosper a business. But if you are, be sure to visit this page and let me know of your interest.
I hope to tell you about the “DEW” in my next post. It blew me away!
Great insight Michael. I look forward to hear more about the dew…
While working in the Philippines, I learned another interesting thing about Banana Trees, the whole plant can be used! There I ate the heart of the trunk, used the leaves as plates and umbrella covering, shading new seedlings and covering trays for vegetable transport and the list just goes on and on…not to mention the various fruit options 🙂 And when you remove the tree, the whole becomes filled with water for days, as the roots of the banana tree draws so much water, it was an astounding site to see.
As you have said, God teaches us so many principles from the forests.
Much blessings,
Wilhemien
That sounds fascinating Wilhelmien. It reminds me of when I discovered a certain kind of palm. It was really a shrub from which they get palm hearts for salad and use the leaves for “Panama Hats”. It was really refreshing to be walking through the Ecuadorian rainforest and come across one of these. You simply uprooted the main step, which exposed the white heart and you could eat it straight out of the ground. It was a real treat!
I wanted to like your post as on FB 🙂 (Now where is your like button?)
The way anyone can show their approval of a post is by clicking on the Facebook “Share” button. That will then take you to your Facebook page, where you can add a comment and post the link, much like you would any other link you have shared in the past.
If you want to “like” a particular post, you can only do that on my Facebook page where the blog is also posted.
As I am just getting restarted after a four year absence, it would be terrific if you could share these posts on your Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages you may be using. That way, more people can find out about this site and have access to its materials.
Hope that helps my Wilhelmien… (o-:
Great post Michael. I loved reading about how God speaks through His creation and how we can learn so many practical lessons if we just take the time to listen.
I have a question about palm trees that were merely created for the purpose of being decorative: Would those have been different from the ones where we get the delicious hearts of palm? I grew up in Brazil where this is a very common food, it’s called “palmito” 🙂
Hi Carmen;
The Bible doesn’t specify what kind of palm the decorative palms were, but I have eaten my share of those delicious hearts of palm while trekking through the Ecuadorian rainforest in the upper Amazon so I know what you are speaking of. Thanks for posting! Please share on Facebook if you like. Thanks!
Hello, Michael..
So much to recreate from the created tree by the great Creator. A simple raw material which was also instrumental during some significant historical turning points in the Bible: wood that was used to build Noah’s ark; to craft a lowly manger for the baby Messiah; the barbaric cross with which our Saviour was nailed for our salvation….functional wood from a simple tree, but became instruments of our deliverance!
May this tree also branch out in scale and in scope, bringing the message that Christ has placed in your heart to as many people as possible…even beyond your lifetime!
Praise His Name! BenjieC.
May it be so Benjie. I pray that my work survives the test of time and the final fire! Thank you for your support!