The mighty oak seems to defy time and gravity. This tree, which can grow for centuries into a massive stature, has a root system that may extend for a hundred miles. It is this root structure that supplies it daily with many gallons of water, even in a drought. And it is the roots that keep it vertical through storms that level its lesser neighbors.

Roots are a familiar symbol in the scriptures, likened to the nurture and strength believers draw from the Lord. In His parable of the sower, the Savior referred to one with casual commitment to the gospel as having "not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the world, by and by he is offended" (Matthew 13:21).

Strong gospel roots provide the discipline to make correct decisions, said Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve in his address during the October 1998 general conference.

"Discipline is that characteristic which will give you the strength to avoid giving up what you want most in life for something you think you want now. It is a friend, not a harsh taskmaster that makes life miserable. Discipline is easier to acquire when it is rooted in faith in Jesus Christ, when it is nourished by an understanding of His teachings and plan of happiness" (Ensign, November 1998, p. 68).

Elder Marvin J. Ashton, an apostle from 1971 until his death in 1994, noted that shallow commitment leads to difficulty in dealing with change.

"If our roots are deep, we will welcome continuing revelation, change, and direction. We will develop the ability to accept releases, callings, and new challenges with enthusiasm. We will be too busy to be offended. We will be too big to be hurt. We will serve wherever we are called with anxious dedication. We will accept people for what they are and what they can and do become. Change will not only drive our roots deeper but cause them to grow into new and fertile soil.

"Let us seek to be totally committed. Then we will not fall upon stony places, wither away, or stray from the paths of security and happiness. Those who serve with complete dedication wherever called do not wilt, wither, wonder, or wander. Their roots are deep and solidly planted in the fertile soils of the kingdom" (Ensign, November, 1978 p. 49).

Another characteristic of the less-committed is to not participate fully in Church activities. "These are not bad individuals, but good individuals who simply do not know how much better they could be," said Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve in an October 1974 general conference address. (Elder Maxwell died in 2004.)

"As the rush of hours, days, and months grows stronger, the(ir) will to commit grows weaker. Events to transpire soon on this planet will dry up the options for the lukewarm, for the issues raised by Jesus are irrepressible issues!" (Ensign, November 1974, p. 12).

"The truth is that 'not yet' usually means 'never,"' he continued. "Trying to run away from the responsibility to decide about Christ is childish. Pilate sought to refuse responsibility for deciding about Christ, but Pilate's hands were never dirtier than just after he had washed them."

How unsatisfying it must be for someone to carry the name of Christian and not derive the rich bonding that comes from being succored by the Lord. How difficult life must be to profess Christianity and not be able to drink of "living water" in times of drought. How shallow is the example of one who attends services but whose love is with worldly things, compromising that person's ability to sacrifice, the very mechanism that brings deeper commitment and greater joy.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15).

Rather, "Faithful members of the Church should be like oak trees and should extend deep roots into the fertile soil of the fundamental principles of the gospel,..." said Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve in the October 1994 general conference. "Our foundations should be solid and deep-rooted so we can withstand the winds of temptation, false doctrine, adversity, and the onslaught of the adversary without being swayed or uprooted. Members whose roots are only at the surface of the gospel need to sink them deeper until they reach the bedrock below the soft topsoil."