The Olive Tree
“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.” Psalm 52: 8-9
In this Psalm, David is using the Olive Tree to draw a distinction between his enemies and a representative of the coming Messiah. His enemies are of the world, trusting in their own riches and choices that lead to destruction, yet he is dwelling in the house of God, healthy and strong (Horne, 1818). An olive tree is a slow-growing tree that requires a long, consistent, nurturing process before it reaches its peak production. Once tended and rooted, an olive tree will be identified by its fruit. A good tree will bear good fruit and a bad tree will produce bad fruit or remain barren (Matthew 7:15-20). The tree's roots are made steady and reassured by God’s unfailing love, resting on the eternal hope of what is to come through salvation. As Jesus proclaims in John 15:5-9, as counselors we must abide in Him in order to flourish.
The fruit of the olive tree has a rich and varied purpose. The olive and the oil it produces, offers sustenance, healing, perfume for anointing, and even fuels a lamp that can be a beacon of light (Knight & Ray, 2005). In the same way, as mental health professionals, we assume varied roles, and our fruit looks similar to that of an olive tree. Sustenance is offered through helping clients live in reality by grasping the truth of God’s big story and letting it shape the trajectory of their lives towards maturity (Eph. 4:1-15). As Kevin Vanhoozer states, “This involves training the client’s mind, heart, imagination and will to think, desire, see, and act in ways that accord with... the biblical testimony to Jesus Christ'' (2010). Often, counselors cultivate healing through relationships and binding up wounds that have been left open (Psalm 147:3). Anointed by God to fulfill a specific role in the great theodrama, counselors serve as “acting coaches,” encouraging others to become the person they are called to be by God and understand their role and its place within the community of believers (Vanhoozer, 2010). By fulfilling our calling, we are inviting others into their own calling. Finally, we bring light into the dark, hidden spaces of our client’s lives through the presentation of the gospel whether explicitly through word, or through the embodiment of our faith and the extension of hope (2 Cor. 4:1-6).
In Romans 11, Paul gives a stunning image of the Olive Tree. Grafting is the process through which the tree can invite a branch to be restored - onto the root of the tree, giving new life, hope, and the opportunity to bear fruit. Although the original context of this passage is to declare the Gentiles as welcomed recipients of the gospel, the truth and the imagery can be translated to the practice of counseling. A “wild shoot” is broken off when it has gone its own way, but as Paul writes, “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root...consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you”(Romans 11:17-18). It is in fact the nourishing sap from the olive root that gracefully enlivens the original branches who have remained and the “wild shoots.” God, in his great mercy, desires that we would be extensions of this grace, this nourishing sap, which returns what was once lost back into connection with the One who created it, just as God has done for us. Just as the gospel offers restoration, we, as mental health professionals, ought to be ambassadors of Christ’s ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).
As counselors, we should be planted securely in the goodness of God, committing to the life-long learning process that growth requires, as we remain connected to the Creator, inviting others to connect as well through the outworkings of our good fruit: sustenance, healing, anointing, light, and the extension of God's restorative Grace.
