I just reread John 15; 1-8. I love the idea that Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. Such lovely allegory and description. But I have never been a fan of the of the idea of being “pruned” by Jesus. I mean- it seems painful. Who wants to admit that their branches might not be bearing any fruit? And then have them cut away and burned.
But then one day I went with John to the farm, and we pruned the pitaya vines. He looked at each plant and cut off certain vines, and I followed behind spraying a bit of alcohol. I was fascinated. And like a child I peppered him with questions.
1. Why alcohol? “To prevent a type of fungal infection.”
2. How do you choose? “I see the ones that are growing to just grow for themselves, not to produce fruits.”
3.But why? Why not let all the vines produce? “Because when we prune them, the whole plant responds and produces almost twice as many fruits.”4.WHAT???? Twice the amount of fruit?? “Yes, Sabrina- please, keep spraying”
And then I spent this past weekend cleaning out our small outside garden area. [I use the word clean because remember, I don’t like the idea of pruning]. As I cut back all the drying leaves of the stragglers that were growing all willy-nilly, I saw shoots of the birds of paradise plant struggling to grow out of the truck of the tree we had to cut down.
The tree we pruned.
Because it was going to negatively affect the house.
And I was stuck again. In Greek prune is really clean…. Ugh. I had pruned; I was pruning. And all the plants were responding as I should. They suddenly had more light filtering through. The sun was now able to penetrate through, and they were responding with life. Soon when the rain arrives, they will BURST forth in flowers that will benefit others- the hummingbirds and bees.
So, I reread John. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
I am not sure about ya’ll, but it seems like the last few years have been pruning types of years. And since I know that God, the great gardener, loves us, and prunes us, I have to ask myself, “will I choose to bear fruit?”
Because in the end we all have free will.
So, I believe that when we are self-pruned because we love God- giving up something for the benefit of others- we also bloom in delightful ways. Think of new parents giving up sleep. Friends offering to babysit for free. Or YOU all coming here in sweaty hot Chinandega to help a family have water.
I want to be fruitful. I want to bloom and grow to produce more for God.
But I must be willing to accept the pruning.
I know what I need to let go of. And if you made it this far, I am sure so do you.
So…I allow God to clean up my garden, so that when the rains come, and the Son shines through, and I will be a garden unto Him.
