Establishment Clause

(Proverbs 12:3 KJV)  A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

Being “established” (3559) seems to be the opposite of being “moved” (4131).  For some reason this reminds me of Psalms 1:3:

(Psalms 1:3 KJV)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Trees, for the most part, cannot chose where they are planted.  Their seeds are usually carried by wind, water and animals and dropped where gravity overcomes other pressures.  There are some elements in our lives that we have no control over.  But those are not what establish us.  The next verse in Psalms brings this home to Proverbs.

(Psalms 1:4 KJV)  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Think of the establishment as being the role of fertilizer and soil rather than location.  We have the ability to allow God to influence our environment.  Just as a gardener can change the pH of soil, so God can help us change the environment in which we live.

So?  Remember the overused mantra of a few years ago, “Bloom where you are planted.”  It will take grace.  It will take trust.  It will take obedience.  It will take time.  But it will take.  Start the process today if you have not already done so.