“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.” (Proverbs 11:23-31, NASB)

As Christians, we are called to be a tree of life, called to win souls in the world today. Here is a devotional thought that I had as I read today’s passage. It says,

“The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it will come to him. He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, and the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!”

In these verses, Solomon describes what it means to be a “righteous” person. It begins with his inner “desire,” the intent and motive of the person, and branches out into thoughts, actions, and generous living. He is a generous person, diligently seeking good and winning souls for God’s kingdom. It’s like comparing a righteous person to a “tree of life,” someone who is rooted in good soil, grows strong, and brings positive benefits to those around them. Verse 30-31 sums it up for us: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!” True righteousness is never a solo act. It is not about being good for his own benefit. Rather, it is about being in the right relationship with God and those around him. When we are properly aligned with God in our relationship with Him, our horizontal relationships with people around us inevitably become peaceful and loving. We become a tree of life that wins souls! We are to be breathing,  walking,  and talking trees of life.

This was the heart of the Ten Commandments of God, which He gave to the nation of Israel, and commanded them to live by it. Jesus summed up the Law of God perfectly for us. He said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Mt.22:37-40, NIV). To make things simple, we can say that all of Solomon’s wise sayings are grounded on these two commands: to love God and to love one another. You can see this cross-shaped relationship, vertical and horizontal ones, permeating today’s passage. It is something everyone must live by. Throughout history, it has been God’s intention for His people—both those of faith in the Old Testament and those in the New Testament—to be blessed and be a blessings to others. This was true for Israel, whom God selected and entrusted with sacred responsibilities. Even though they didn’t fully grasp everything, they recognized their calling to bless other nations.

For today’s followers of Christ, this purpose is even clearer, as we now understand what it truly means to be blessed so that we can bless the world. As the body of Christ, we are given the good news of salvation through the cross—the ultimate tree of life—and charged to act as ambassadors for Christ, sharing the mystery of the gospel. While Solomon may not have comprehended all these details, he understood the principle of being blessed to bless others, as reflected in today’s scripture reading. Whether we have a good cross-shaped relationship is up to us, but it will determine whether we are righteous or wicked in God’s eyes. This was God’s desire for His people throughout history: that we be a tree of life in the world and win souls. Furthermore, at the proper time, He sent His Son to hang on the tree, so that it became the real tree of life of salvation from sin and death. As Christians, we are called to continue his mission to be a tree of life ourselves, pointing the way of salvation through that cross of reconciliation. To me, this is what Solomon was trying to convey to the people of his day, and even to us today. We are called to be a tree of life, called to win souls in the world today. We are to be walking trees of life for Christ.

• What do you think Solomon meant by being a “tree of life” that “wins souls?”
• How is the cross of Christ a tree of life, and how can Christians be trees of life for God?