Pruning

My paternal grandfather studied horticulture. He earned his living working for U.S. postal service in Detroit. But he enjoyed beautifying the backyard of his house on Cheyenne Street. I remember the beautiful flowers and bushes there.

Ironically, his love for horticulture didn't get passed onto his younger son (my father), nor to his son's 2 sons (of which I'm the oldest). None of us have green thumbs.

This is to the regret of my wife, who loves plants and flowers. She has plants in our kitchen window, balcony, living room,and even one in my office. These are one way that she de-stresses.

Earlier this week, after we got back from Lyon, I did do a little "gardening." I watered our plants, as well as our neighbor's plants, as they are away in Algeria and have given us their apartment keys for this purpose. I also removed leaves that had died during our absence.

While removing the dead leaves, I was reminded of Jesus' words regarding the vine and the branches in John 15. Jesus said, "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 trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear much fruit unless you remain in me.

What has struck me more recently is God's pruning of branches that are bearing fruit. I think that one reason for this is because of the need for specific focus. If we are doing too many "good things," we may never get to bearing a few "great things" that really make a difference. The good is often the greatest enemy of the best.

As we look at starting up a new ministry year, I wonder which current activities will need to be pruned from our lives in order to allow resources of time, energy, and money to go toward activities that will produce even more fruitfulness?