Sugar Cane Christianity

One sunny morning I was watering the sugar cane plant in the backyard of my house. As I was watering it, I noticed something fairly interesting.

As you can see in the above picture, the upper parts of the sugar cane look nice and green.

However, the lower parts of the sugar cane revealed a different story:

Isn’t this quite a contrast?

From a distance, you may see the UPPER green parts and think the sugar cane was thriving.

But it’s not until you get closer and really see the LOWER parts of the sugar cane, you realize its hidden dryness.

How could this apply to us?

Dry Hearts

A well-known Bible verse in 1 Samuel comes to mind:

For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

(1 samuel 16:7)

Many of us see just the outward appearances of people; their “upper green parts.”

Just like the sugar cane, many of us as Christians walk around trying to LOOK like we’re green and thriving in Jesus.

On the outside, we as Christians try to make ourselves LOOK like we have it all put together and know the best answers to say for every Bible question.

From a distance, many onlookers would think we’re truly thriving in our Christian experience.

But GOD is not fooled.

He can SEE the spiritual dryness in the lowest parts of our heart.

He can SEE the dryness of pride, doubt, fear, anxiety, and unforgiveness inside our hearts.

GOD can SEE our dry hearts.

So many of us as Christians are living out a Christianity that’s similar to the sugar cane plant in my backyard.

On the outside, we look like we’re green and thriving.

But on the inside, we’re really dead and dry.

Holes & Happiness

There’s another bunch of plants in my backyard that reveal a totally different object lesson.

Those plants are my mom’s Swiss chard.

As you can see in the above photo, one of the Swiss chard has several holes in one of its leaves.

But check out the lower part:

Do you see it?

The Swiss chard’s lower part is NOT dry–despite the holes in one of its leaves!

What can we learn from this?

How’s Your Roots?

Friends, it doesn’t matter how much Christian frosting we may try to smear on ourselves.

It doesn’t matter how fast we’re going in our Christian journey.

It doesn’t matter how much goodness we try to display on the outside.

What God cares about is the HEART.

He desires us to truly take care of our ROOTS, and to keep our inner beings moistened with His presence!

So, dear reader, let me ask you this question.

How is your heart?

Is it being well-watered by God’s love, peace, and Spirit?

Or, is it still dry with Your own selfishness and sin?

How are your roots doing?

Are they being moistened everyday by the nourishing power of God’s Word despite how much holes you’re getting from outside?

Or, are your roots simply still dry with pride, selfishness, fear, anxiety, and a variety of other negative feelings?

A Prayer

Dear reader, if you feel convicted for allowing the roots of your heart to become dried up, and neglected to remain nourished and moistened by Jesus day by day, I wish to just encourage you to pray the following prayer below:

I’d like to conclude this blog post with a beautiful Bible promise you may claim and meditate over along with the above prayer:

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,

And floods on the dry ground;

I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,

And My blessing on your offspring;

(Isaiah 44:3)

Amen! Maranatha!