Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

[Adapted from “Garden of People” by Lu Mountenay, March 2013 Herald, p. 32]

A plant’s roots follow the perimeter of its pot. When plants start to lose vigor, a quick investigation reveals the problem. Lift the plant, exposing its roots. If you see circles of roots going round and round, it doesn’t take guessing to know the plant is rootbound.

The roots have turned in on themselves and are choked by the confines of the pot. They’ve absorbed all the energy and nutrition the spent soil has to offer. Their inward journey is complete in this space, and it’s time to guide the roots in a new direction. So we provide a larger pot or even let the plant go free in our garden.

To repot the plant, we put fresh soil in the new, larger pot. We manipulate the roots to change their direction outward toward the fresh, expanded soil. We may even cut off the bottom inch of rooted soil for a healthy “letting go” of offending roots.

We water the plant and say a prayer to make it (and us) feel better. We might change its location to a sunnier window. We stand back and watch it thrive, spreading joy and foliage, happy to live in the home of a good gardener, like yourself.

Seriously…we, like plants, sometimes get too comfortable on our paths. We are rootbound on our inward journey. Once we get to a still and centered place, we can gather strength and do some letting go, starting an outward journey on Christ’s mission. A new direction opens, and we create room to grow. We stimulate our roots with learning and spiritual practices, finding a new place at the expanding table of grace.

Re-rooted in our foundation, soaking up the light of the Holy Spirit, and refreshed with Christ’s living water, we flourish and develop into disciples to serve the community, God’s garden of people.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.