Psalms 92: 12-14, New King James Version

"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,"

Christians are compared to palm trees in the Bible (Psalm 92:12) to symbolize strength, fruitfulness, and resilience, growing upright and deep-rooted to withstand life's storms, staying evergreen in faith, finding sustenance in God ("living water"), and bearing spiritual fruit.

So, what does a "palm tree Christian' look like?

Like palm trees that bend but don't break in high winds, "palm tree Christians" remain strong and flexible during trials, with their roots (faith) growing deeper under pressure.

Jesus warned that those without strong roots are easily shaken by trials and fall away (Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21). Without strong roots, a Christian will be unable to endure the storms of life. The righteous, in contrast, are not easily shaken.

Palm trees consist of spongy, flexible tissue. They don’t have a tap root system like many other trees. Instead, they have thousands of roots, forming a dense system—resembling spaghetti in some ways—radiating in all directions.

These characteristics make them very resilient and unaffected by seasonal changes. They can survive droughts, floods and storms.

Palm trees are able to bend 40 to 50 degrees without snapping and can even withstand hurricane-force winds. At the end of a storm, they’ll return to their upright position with their root systems intact. Surprisingly, storms can stretch and even strengthen a palm tree’s roots. In many cases, palm trees are stronger in the aftermath of a powerful windstorm.

That's how we should be: our roots so planted in the Lord that life's storms may bend us but not break us and that we will come out stronger afterwards. 

They are upright, pointing towards heaven, and spiritually growing upwards, shedding worldly desires as they mature.

They consistently produce good "fruit" (positive actions/character) throughout life. 

Their inner life draws strength directly from God (the "living water") and His Word, making them resilient against external spiritual attacks, unlike trees that draw sap from their bark.

In essence, being a "palm tree Christian" means being a steadfast, productive, and resilient believer, deeply connected to God and flourishing despite worldly challenges. 

How can we be a "palm tree Christian "?

We must put our trust in the God who doesn’t change. Our hope in God and His Kingdom becomes the “anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19).

A righteous Christian will flourish like a palm tree, strive to be upright by keeping God’s commandments, bear fruit while developing a closer relationship with God, and will not be easily shaken by the storms of life.

What a powerful comparison for you and me to think about! The righteous shall flourish as a palm tree. Like a palm tree, be faithful. Like a palm tree, be fruitful. Like a palm tree, be favorable. Get your roots deep. 

I pray God enables each of us to flourish like the palm tree—beautiful in the Lord, useful in His service, bearing good fruit to His glory, even into old age!