Psalm 1 - Sawdust or Topsoil?

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

 Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalm 1:1-6

I am reminded of an experiment that I had in Boy Scouts while working on the Conservation Merit Badge. I was to plant green bean seeds in two kinds of soil – sawdust and top soil. Once the experiment was concluded, I would send in my observations. 

The experiment was quite revealing. The sawdust beans grew first and quickly and even show signs of the bean itself. Meanwhile the top soil beans grew, but more slowly and eventually producing their beans. However, once the sawdust was out, it began to wither and die immediately while the top soil beans thrived and produced.

In terms of conservation, one could see some momentary benefits of the soil used – or at least expand one’s options of creatively thinking of alternative soils to use. 

However, there was another insight that came to me – what type of soil are we growing in as human beings? How well are we nourished in the soil in which we grow? Will we be producing fruit that is of benefit or will we wither by having too much too early? 

I preached on Psalm 1 – back 39 years ago – the weekend before our first son was born. I even copied the sermon for an elder to read should Cathy have to go to the hospital to give birth – our son was due that weekend! As it worked out, I could preach, but then the day after – was Valentine’s Day. We exchanged Valentines, but then Cathy had her first labor. We immediately went to the hospital and we became parents 4 hours later! 

We would enjoy watching Matthew grow up and eventually add his brother, Peter to the family. Those 39 years gave us a chance to see our oldest and eventually our youngest son grow and mature. We pray that the soil in which they were raised and nourished would yield fruitful lives of service and witness from the guidance and love that we shared with each of our sons.

But another perspective within the last 6 years has caused us to wonder the kind of soil in which our son and daughter-in-law would provide for our three grandsons. We are encouraged to see the nurture and love that is expressed and continues to mature in our grandsons and in the patience that our son and daughter-in-law have.

Is everything that we have done been a top soil life or a sawdust life? It’s rather complex – for there will be moments of top soil nurture and growth, but some sawdust may be another soil of preference when facing tempting promises of one soil over the other. One prays that if the lesser soil is preferred, that one will see the reality and need a soil transplant.

Psalm 1 brings that idea of what soil and transplant may be useful – that we seek the soil in which a tree is nurtured and grown among a network of life-giving nutrients of faith such as the Word of God and the Word made flesh. The contrast is quite clear of what would not be nutritious. May we in this Lenten Season consider our soil of faith and be nourished by His Word and the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. 

Prayer: Most Gracious God, may Your Spirit be implanted in our hearts to be nourished to bear the fruit of Your love in Jesus Christ. Help us to keep perspective and rely on that which ultimately brings us the quality of life You can provide through Christ Jesus in Whose name we pray. Amen.

Dr. John J. Duling, Honorably Retired