Listen

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already trimmed because of the word I have spoken to you.”

John 15:1-3

Think

When I was a young boy, my dad encouraged my brother and me to work. We started by cleaning up yards in our neighborhood. Mostly, we mowed grass in the hot sun of south Mississippi. There were those jobs, however, where more was required of us. A job I dreaded was pruning or trimming bushes that were overgrown or simply struggling to survive. My challenge was doing it right — knowing which branch to cut and which branch to save.

I’ve always viewed today’s verse negatively. That is, if I don’t produce, God will cut me down. There is another interpretation. God, our gardener, can help with knowing what to cut and what to encourage in our busy lives, especially as we strive to grow as Christians. Maybe seeking and following God’s lead can lead to a life of fruit bearing.

Bill Ogletree

Question to Ponder: 

Today, where do you need God’s guidance with tough choices that involve your commitment and time?

Pray

Gardening God, thank you for tending my life with care and love. Give me the wisdom and grace to follow your lead and to be more fruitful for you.

I need your wisdom in this choice I’m facing…

Amen.

Go

How can you bear fruit this day? “Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Doing so prepares you to bear God’s fruit.

Colossians 3:12