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“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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Raised on a farm in west Texas, there weren’t a lot of trees. The sandy soil was used primarily to grow cotton, grass feed, corn, and other commodities to sell. The few trees I recall weren’t planted for aesthetics but for their fruit. Of all things strange, grape vineyards in Texas now compete in number with cotton farms. Fruit trees also thrive in sand. A few years ago, our parents’ peach trees yielded a crop so plentiful, they had to build wooden supports to prevent the limbs from snapping.

After leaving west Texas to start a family and in pursuit of career advancement my work required a series of moves. Each re-location meant buying or building another home in a neighborhood where we could connect with other younger families. These new neighborhoods were mostly barren of trees with the exception of a matching pair required by HOA deed restrictions. These weren’t huge oaks or pine trees but the “Rather Scraggly” variety. Every front yard had the identical pair of “trees”, not so much planted as installed. These were put in solely for appearance although decades later they would serve as shade for empty-nesters.

We’re now approaching our own empty-nest phase with no more company relocations in sight. The two Scraggly saplings first planted in our yard by the original owners have now become fully grown, and their shade is cool and peaceful. However, left untouched for years they now require more attention and work to maintain. Let’s just say I’ve gained a clearer understanding as to why they named one season “Fall”.

As I write this, our daughter is set to graduate high school within just a few days. She has also lived with a major chronic health condition which has worsened and being unable to “fix” things for her has been the second most difficult thing this parent has yet to experience. It’s ironic how a description of the suburban life cycle of trees mirrors the raising of two such beautiful souls . But that’s a story too difficult to write today. God’s will remains our prayer and we can’t thank you enough for yours. Blessings and prayers from ours.

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Last spring, it was time to finally do some maintenance on our two shade trees. Although they looked just fine from the street, there were some large branches needing attention. I put off the work because the limbs had been overgrown for years and would require a ladder, ropes, sawing, breaking down, bundling, and hauling. I rarely pay a helper, but some jobs are just too big and breaking my neck wouldn’t help pay the bills. Still, I pridefully gave it my best shot. While doing this back breaking tree project, a well known chapter from the Bible just kept popping into my mind.

A book in the Bible called “John” is one I’ve always found relatable, probably because of a farming background. Jesus was a brilliant man and storyteller. In the fifteenth chapter, the writer shares Jesus’ story about branches, vines, pruning, and a gardener. He describes people as branches who rely upon him as the vine. He describes God as the gardener, choosing what to completely cut off and what to cut back for growth. He finally talks about branches either producing fruit or just existing.

For days, as I climbed around the upper reaches of those two shade trees, I considered my own life and whether I’m a branch deserving of removal or one in need of some pruning. The two operations look similar but have very different purposes. If the “gardener” chose to prune me instead of removing me entirely, which parts would be snipped to allow something useful in its place? Honestly, some of my diseased branches had been left far too long and become more trunk than twig. Things like fear, anger, pride, selfishness, control, and lately a new budding shoot called doubt.

Most of these aren’t fatal although a few can be. If some or all of them were pruned back, what might begin to grow in their place? Should this trimming job be mine or the gardener’s? Having tried unsuccessfully too many times to rely on my own ability, I’ve learned such a job is best left to the expert. Since He is its creator, He knows far better how it can be helped to thrive. Might I need to call in a helper and do this pruning job together?

To me, Jesus is saying if we will just ask for His help with the removal process, the re-growth won’t just be a replica of the original, but something brand new which can produce beneficial fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Like those west Texas peach tree branches requiring a 2X4 for support, such fruit would far outweigh empty branches.

A job of this size certainly won’t be easy and today it seems futile. Still, healthy and lasting growth requires time, diligence, nourishment, faith, and humility to accept necessary help from the Gardner’s hand. Wouldn’t such a tree be beautiful to see and its fruit beneficial to life!

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Prayer: Heavenly Father, may Your will be done rather than ours. At times, the two seem to be vastly different. Honestly, it’s difficult to remain faithful when we aren’t seeing things Your way and there are days we just can’t keep going alone. This is one of those days. So we seek the help You have promised and been faithful to provide. We continue to trust. May the painful pruning You are doing in us as branches living in You serve as fruit someone else may need. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” – James 1: 2-3