The vine and the branches.

Day 156

OT Reading: 2 Chronicles 17-19

NT Reading: John 15

In John 15 Jesus uses the illustration that he is the vine and we are the branches. If we remain in him...if we remain connected to him, then through that connection will come life and fruitfulness. And that's pretty. We sing about that idea. We discuss that idea. We may even have pictures up about it in our homes. However In John 15:2 there is a verse I think we just skip over in regard to this whole vine-branch thing. There it reads, "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." (John 15:2, NIV)

So, just so we're clear, let's discuss that. First off...if we are not being fruitful, if we are not being a branch that is beneficial to the overall existence of the vine (i.e. the Kingdom of Jesus), we run the risk of being cut off. Some would say this happens at the end of life, others would argue that it happens now. But the fact remains that there are those trying to live out their 'branch existence' who are not connected to the vine.

Secondly...there is the uncomfortable mention of pruning. If you're not familiar, in pruning one trims off less fruitful or less desirable leaves and shoots in an effort to ensure valuable nutrients go to where the branch most needs and can utilize them. Jesus says that those who are fruitful will be pruned. In other words God will be working in their lives in such a way that he will trim, cut, pull and remove those things that are not helping them grow and blossom. If that sounds uncomfortable...it is.

For some of us, we may need to look at our lives and seriously ask if we're finding our strength and resources from being connected to Jesus...or if we are withering as we try to do things on our own.

For others of us, we may need to recognize that those painful, uncomfortable, difficult experiences in life may be what God is using to prune and shape us into becoming even more fruitful than we are.

Only you can really identify if you're in one situation or the other, but even if you don't feel like you're in either place...perhaps you see that Jesus' illustration of the vine was more than just a pretty picture.