By Jake Hagan, December 22, 2023

When planted, a tree starts as a seed; it looks small, even in a baby’s hand. Yet when fully grown, it towers over all living things below. For a man to plant a tree, he must have a vision for the future. He must see that long after he is gone, someone else will reap the benefits of shade from a tall tree that was, at one point, merely a seed.

When did you last plan for something more than 1 year out? 10 years? 50 years? In today’s world, we get frustrated if the package we order takes more than 24 hours from checkout to our doorstep. Jesus offered a new way when He said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6: 19-20 NIV).

What is your 1,000-year vision? A Wendell Berry poem goes like this: “Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias.” Ever since I read this, I have been enamored with the idea of a 1,000-year dream. How can we take this gift of a life that is only a vapor and invest it in the Kingdom of God? So, friend, I suggest we look to Jesus next time we are in a dilemma with choosing the here and now versus the millennium to come. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV). Jesus reigns in my 1,000-year dream, and I get to contribute a verse.

Jake Hagan works in organizational effectiveness at Delta Air Lines. He and his wife, Kaitlin, live in the Virginia Highland neighborhood in Atlanta. They serve and worship alongside the body of believers at Passion City Church.