It’s a three-word phrase that’s caught my attention this morning. Not an obscure phrase, but one pretty well known. Doing a bit of e-concordance work and I find the phrase occurs only 11 times in my bible and pops up in just three areas of my bible — two of which I am pretty familiar with, the third a bit of a surprise.

The term? Tree of life.

You know, as in the tree of life found at the beginning of our bibles, the one located in the garden of Eden. The tree found alongside the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:9). The tree that to eat of it is to live forever (Gen. 3:22). The tree guarded by an angel with a flaming sword after the first tenants of the garden are evicted for rebellion (Gen. 3:24).

It’s the tree you then read of at the end of your bible, in Eden restored, the promised paradise of God (Rev. 2:7). The tree that bears fruit along the river which runs through the holy city come down from heaven (Rev. 22:2). The tree where again, men and women are freely given access (Rev. 22:14). The tree which, to share in, is to have eternal life in the presence of God (Rev. 22:19) — just as it was in the beginning.

And the third section of my bible where the tree of life is found? It’s where it caught my attention this morning.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
       and whoever captures souls is wise.

(Proverbs 11:30 ESV)

It’s kind of a “binary world” in Proverbs. It talks of either “the righteous” or “the wicked”. You’re one or you’re the other. I shade in red the truths about “the righteous” ’cause that’s who the people of God are, that’s who I am.

Not that I am righteous in my worth or works, but that through faith in Christ, I’m counted as righteous (Php. 3:9). Because Jesus who knew no sin became sin for us, we now bear the righteousness of God in Him (2Cor. 5:21). And so this morning, because I’m wearing, as it were, a robe of righteousness, the garments of salvation (Isa. 61:10), I take note of things about “the righteous.”

In this case it’s that the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. I am not the tree of life, but I bear (or, at least should) its fruit. Okay, so who is that tree of life? Well that too is found in Proverbs.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
       and the one who gets understanding,
for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
       and her profit better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
       and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
       in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
       and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
       those who hold her fast are called blessed.

(Proverbs 3:13-18 ESV)

Wisdom . . . is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. And I’ve come to believe that “wisdom” is code for Jesus in the book of Proverbs. So those who lay hold of wisdom, aka Jesus, bear fruit in kind. We are purveyors of eternal life. Messengers of paradise lost being restored. Ambassadors of an Eden to come where God again walks with His people in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8). Abiding in Jesus, we bear the fruit of Jesus (Jn. 15:4-5).

Hmm . . . The tree of life, found only in three areas of the Bible, one of those Proverbs. Who knew?

Hmm, again . . . A tree of life, the fruit of the righteous . . . my fruit. Who knew, again?

By His grace. For His glory.