Phloem Sweet 
This devotional was written by Mariah Mayer

 “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing… If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you… I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”   John 15:5, 7, 11 

Lately, I have been trying to teach my fifth graders about plants and animals.  We have mainly been focusing on their similarities and differences.  One of the biggest differences between plants and animals is that plants are able to make their own food, while animals (including humans) have to go out and find it.

When I was younger, I believed each plant took in water from its roots to the stem and, finally, to the leaves.  I’ve always imagined this process to be similar to the act of drinking through a straw.  Unfortunately, my lifelong theory is not entirely correct.  You see, each plant does allow water to travel in an upward motion ending finally in the leaves.  (This process is called xylem).  However, an upward motion is not the only direction a plant transports things.  Plants also move things downward (a process known as phloem).

To help my class remember this, I had them shouting out while they lifted their hands to the sky, “Xylem is up!” followed by a rapid decent to the ground as they shouted, “Phloem is down!”  This shouting and motion had the whole class not only excited about science, but also helped them to remember the concept. 

These continued discussions about plants and how they work got me to thinking about John 15.  I’ve always loved this chapter.  Each time I’ve read it, I have always thought about how I need to be like a plant and soak up God’s Word as if it were water to me.  This analogy has helped me to not only read God’s Word, but to perceive its importance in my life.

Just as I only grasped the upward motion in plants, I seem to have also done this spiritually.  Since I never really understood that plants also transport sugar downward, I did not fully comprehend what Scripture was saying.  You see, if we are allowing God’s Word to fill who we are, we will not only be alive spiritually, but sweetness will flow out of us as well!  

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GOING DEEPER:

When plants take in water, they let out sugar.  When you take in God’s Word, what impact does It make in how you live your life?

FURTHER READING:
John 15; James 4:8; Mark 12:30-31

This devotional © Mariah Mayer, 2007. All rights reserved. Used by permission.


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