--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He that planteth a tree is a servant of…" description: "\"He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, He provideth a kindness for many generations, And faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.\" — Henry Va..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/henry-van-dyke-2453_generations_he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of_1947216.png" --- # He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, He provideth… ![“He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, He provideth a kindness for many generations, And faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.” quote by Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/henry-van-dyke-2453_generations_he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of_1947216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/henry-van-dyke-2453_generations_he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of_1947216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/henry-van-dyke-2453_generations_he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of_1947216.png) > “He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, He provideth a kindness for many generations, And faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.” [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Planting trees benefits future generations; unseen future blessings arise from present kindness. **In simple terms:** Plant trees, help future. Key Takeaway Act for future generations. Themes environmental stewardship generosity legacy faith Mood inspirational reflective Type ethical spiritual When to use this quote - urban planning - community projects - family planning - spiritual practice Key Concepts sustainability intergenerational impact Questions to Reflect On - How can you contribute to long‑term good? - What unseen blessings have you received? A Different Perspective Immediate benefits may not be visible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Servant of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant-of-god/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [He that planteth a tree ...provideth a kindness for many generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/he-that-planteth-a-tree-provideth-a-kindness-for-many-generations/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [He who plants a tree is a servant of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-who-plants-a-tree-is-a-servant-of-god/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“In the first of these senses, neither Christ nor the Christian is supposed to be the world’s servant. Jesus is obedient, not to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-dulles/in-the-first-of-these-senses-neither-christ-nor-the-christian-is/) Avery Dulles > [ \[I want to be remembered\] as a great servant of God who tried to give back as much as possible, and as a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-want-to-be-remembered-as-a-great-servant-of-god-who-tried-to-give/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Some would define a servant like this: 'A servant is one who finds out what his master wants him to do, and then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blackaby/some-would-define-a-servant-like-this-a-servant-is-one-who-finds-out/) [Henry Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blackaby/) > [For a servant of God to have authority in every sentence he utters, he must first suffer for the message he is to deliver.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sung/for-a-servant-of-god-to-have-authority-in-every-sentence-he-utters-he/) John Sung > [The slave of the belly ponders the menu with which to celebrate the feast. The servant of God, however, thinks of the graces that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/the-slave-of-the-belly-ponders-the-menu-with-which-to-celebrate-the/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [I have always tried to be a humble servant of God and a humble member of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/i-have-always-tried-to-be-a-humble-servant-of-god-and-a-humble-member/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [The man who eats to live, who is friends with the five powers - earth, water, ether, sun and air - who is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-man-who-eats-to-live-who-is-friends-with-the-five-powers-earth/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [It is better to be the servant of God than the ruler of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-better-to-be-the-servant-of-god-than-the-ruler-of-men/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [The best thing we can do is be a servant of God. It does good to stand up and serve others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-shuttlesworth/the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-be-a-servant-of-god-it-does-good-to-stand/) Fred Shuttlesworth > [If you are truly a servant of God, then you are to serve him as a master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-truly-a-servant-of-god-then-you-are-to-serve-him-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am for God, I am the lover of God, I am loved by God, I am the servant of God, I am the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/i-am-for-god-i-am-the-lover-of-god-i-am-loved-by-god-i-am-the-servant/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [Servant of God, well done; well hast thou fought The better fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/servant-of-god-well-done-well-hast-thou-fought-the-better-fight/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [A Christian minister is a person who in a peculiar sense is not his own; he is the servant of God, and therefore ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/a-christian-minister-is-a-person-who-in-a-peculiar-sense-is-not-his/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) ## More by Henry Van Dyke > [I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack;The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/i-know-that-europe-s-wonderful-yet-something-seems-to-lack-the-past/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [The Bible does not profess to make men omniscient, but simply to tell them enough to make them happy and good, if they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/the-bible-does-not-profess-to-make-men-omniscient-but-simply-to-tell/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [So in the heart, When, fading slowly down the past, Fond memories depart, And each that leaves it seems the last; Long after all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/so-in-the-heart-when-fading-slowly-down-the-past-fond-memories-depart/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [It is with rivers as it is with people: the greatest are not always the most agreeable nor the best to live with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/it-is-with-rivers-as-it-is-with-people-the-greatest-are-not-always/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [A little while the rose, And after that the thorn; An hour of dewy morn, And then the glamour goes. Ah, love in beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/a-little-while-the-rose-and-after-that-the-thorn-an-hour-of-dewy-morn/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [A peace that depends on fear is nothing but a suppressed war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/a-peace-that-depends-on-fear-is-nothing-but-a-suppressed-war/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Love is not about getting - but giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/love-is-not-about-getting-but-giving/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Favorite People, Favorite Places, Favorite Memories of the past ... These are the joys of a lifetime Those are the things that last](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/favorite-people-favorite-places-favorite-memories-of-the-past-these/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Religion? Yes, I know it well; I've heard its prayers and creeds, And seen men put them all to shame with poor, half-hearted deeds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/religion-yes-i-know-it-well-i-ve-heard-its-prayers-and-creeds-and/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [It is better to desire the things we have than to have the things we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/it-is-better-to-desire-the-things-we-have-than-to-have-the-things-we/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Jazz: Music invented for the torture of imbeciles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/jazz-music-invented-for-the-torture-of-imbeciles/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Lord, when my spirit shall return to thee, At the foot of a friendly tree let my body be buried, That this dust may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/lord-when-my-spirit-shall-return-to-thee-at-the-foot-of-a-friendly/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/gratitude-is-the-inward-feeling-of-kindness-received-thankfulness-is/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [In warlike pomp, with banners flowing, The regiments of autumn stood: I saw their gold and scarlet glowing From every hillside, every wood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/in-warlike-pomp-with-banners-flowing-the-regiments-of-autumn-stood-i/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [There is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/there-is-a-better-thing-than-the-observance-of-christmas-day-and-that/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) [Explore all 165 Henry Van Dyke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) ## More Generations quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [“The fact that you are born means you have the potential of benefiting yourself and generations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abegunde-sunday-o/the-fact-that-you-are-born-means-you-have-the-potential-of-benefiting/) [Abegunde Sunday O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abegunde-sunday-o/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [If every nation gets the government it deserves, every generation writes the history which corresponds with its view of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-janeway/if-every-nation-gets-the-government-it-deserves-every-generation/) [Elizabeth Janeway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-janeway/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) > [“Will this generation be able to turn things around and learn a valuable lesson from all of this? I hope so, but I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/will-this-generation-be-able-to-turn-things-around-and-learn-a/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [David Cronenberg is the most provocative, original, and consistently excellent North American director of his generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-hoberman/david-cronenberg-is-the-most-provocative-original-and-consistently/) J. Hoberman > [The Next Generation Space Telescope, which will be located much further away from the Earth than the Hubble Space Telescope presently is, will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-nicollier/the-next-generation-space-telescope-which-will-be-located-much/) [Claude Nicollier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-nicollier/) > [The sound man, immune as to a sacrifice of straw dogs, faces the passing human generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-sound-man-immune-as-to-a-sacrifice-of-straw-dogs-faces-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Politics...You see, it depends on what kind of politics. What we did during my father's generation was a duty. And it was beautiful because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/politics-you-see-it-depends-on-what-kind-of-politics-what-we-did/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [He removed several pages of death certificates, which were picked up by another breeze and sent into the trees. Some would fall with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/he-removed-several-pages-of-death-certificates-which-were-picked-up/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Progress is the injustice each generation commits with regard to its predecessors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/progress-is-the-injustice-each-generation-commits-with-regard-to-its/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [Pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. Go back to the grass roots. Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear your cross,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/pay-no-heed-to-the-passing-religious-vogue-go-back-to-the-grass-roots/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) [Browse all 5,661 Generations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, He provideth a kindness for many generations, And faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Van Dyke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of-god-he-provideth-a-kindness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Generations" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of-god-he-provideth-a-kindness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/henry-van-dyke-2453_generations_he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of_1947216.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/henry-van-dyke-2453_generations_he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of_1947216.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/henry-van-dyke-2453_generations_he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of_1947216.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, He provideth a kindness for many generations, And faces that he…” — Henry Van Dyke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry Van Dyke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He that planteth a tree is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of-god-he-provideth-a-kindness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/he-that-planteth-a-tree-is-a-servant-of-god-he-provideth-a-kindness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```