We’re drawn to the machine for the same reason we’re drawn to the fake plant—we want production without the hard and slow work it takes to get it. We want quick results minus the God-connected process. But machines can’t produce genuine fruit.

I’ve never liked fake plants. Mostly, I’ve just never found them convincing, though I have been tricked a time or two. On more than one embarrassing occasion, I’ve commented on the beauty of an interior potted plant only to hear, “You know that’s fake, right?” It’s always disappointing when, upon closer look, my conversation partner is validated. The fake plant, no matter how realistic, loses its charm as soon as its true nature is revealed. Immediately, I apprehend that my gaze has been fixed all along, not on the organic beauty of God’s creation, but on an imposter product of human technology and innovation.

I get the appeal of fake plants. We want the fruit without the work, the aesthetic without the need to provide care. In my house, we’ve killed our fair share of indoor plants by neglecting to provide water and sunlight. Nonetheless, I’d rather have no plants than fake ones.

I love real plants—especially trees. The old southern live oak tree is my personal favorite, with its eerie low branches and grey Spanish moss. The live oak seems to embody the southern gothic culture and charm evident in cities like Savannah, Charleston, and New Orleans. Trees seem to have personalities, like they’ve accrued wisdom over time. Perhaps Tolkien was on to something when he created his Ents.

Did you know that trees communicate?

The more I learn about trees, the more I understand why they seem to be one of God’s favorite metaphors for describing our relationship with him. In the Bible, humans are trees. In Psalm 1, for example, the blessed man who meditates day and night on God’s word is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season. In Isaiah 5, Israel has been cared for as God’s choice vine but is only bearing bad fruit. Jesus, however, is the Father’s true vine, and only those who abide in him bear lasting fruit (John 15).

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