Let us plant trees in 2015!

On this first day of 2015, I wish you a wonderful 2015!  I have lately been pondering on the parallel between planting trees and making long term changes and investments in life.  This is my wish for us in our personal and spiritual life as well as for communities and our beloved country.

South Africa needs more power. Yes electricity, but not only electricity, we also need a skilled labour force.   Building electricity generation plants take many years and needs to be initiated on time to meet future demands. Similarly we need to educate and train the youth to become business people, engineers, teachers, lawyers, accountants, artisans etc.  The list is endless, but we need good skills to produce services and products that we can sell on the international market and earn much needed foreign currency. The power plants and education is like trees that we need to plant now to be able to harvest in 25 years’ time. If you fail to plant now you and your children will not reap the benefits. There is no short term solution or a quick fix.  A large pine tree is not 3 or 4 years old, it is more like 25 to 35 years old.

Pine trees planted years ago not yet ready to be harvested

As families we need to spend more quality time to build character and lead by example.  As I am now a grandfather I realize that my grandparents, uncles and aunts have all played a part in my life.  We all make mistakes, but it is how we handle the mistakes that change the result.  We need to confess and correct our mistakes.  We should bear the fruit of the spirit – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 New International Version (NIV)

Sustainable harvesting. Leave some to be harvested next year and the following years. Plant as you harvest.

May we in 2015 be like the man in Psalm one:

1 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,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 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.

New International Version (NIV)

 

Succession planning! Plant for the next generation to harvest.

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