Tu b’Shevat: New Year of Trees

Tu b’Shevat

The New Year of Trees (Tu b’Shevat) has finally arrived in Israel, the official beginning of the change from Winter to Spring, but it is so much more than that. During this Biblical month of Shevat, Tu’Bishvat gives us time to reflect on our roots, and our fruit. Before Tu b’Shevat became an official holiday, it was once the day when the new season was officially set between growing seasons so that when the time to bring ones tithe and offering to Adonai came, they would bring the right amount and type of first fruits offering.

Generally, no one likes tax season, but it is a time when we prepare in order to pay the right amount. However, what if we ourselves are the first fruit of Adonai? When given a Roman coin discussing the paying of Taxes of Rome, Yeshua said to the people give unto caesar whose image is on the coin, and give unto YHWH what is His (Mark 12:17). In other words, you are made in the image of Adonai, and are therefor are His very own.

If your very life is your first fruit to the Creator of heaven and earth, and our lives are a reflection of Him, is our fruit such that the world knows this and believes it, or have we got some serious work to do on our roots in order for our fruit to live up to the standard? We are trees of life unto Adonai, and today it is time not only to reflect on the fruit of our lives, but also to change the conditions of our roots to make sure the next time we check, the fruit looks like Galatians 5:22-23, the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is time to get out of our own way and in to His way letting Him, the great Gardener tend us into trees of life for His glory. Happy Tu b’Shevat!