The Fruitful are Pruned
the vinedresser sees his vine, which was good but is killing itself. it grieves him, but he does whatever it takes to make it beautiful
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit"
~ John 15: 1-2
He prunes those who bear fruit, that they may bear more fruit.
Why? It seems counter-productive.
A rose bush is pruned every year. It is pruned every year so it does not interrupt the next blooming cycle. Pruning also removes diseased and dead stems and canes and reduces the overall size of the plant.
Read first half of Hebrews 12
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it
~ Hebrews 12:11
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
~ James 1:15
Just as a rose bush is pruned to remove the diseased and dead stems, He disciplines us the desire that eventually gives birth to death. Just as a pruned plant is smaller than before, discipline seems painful rather than pleasant. But know this whenever you faces trials of various kinds it produces perseverance (James 1:2-3). For the moment it seems painful, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. You have to allow yourself to be trained by it too, it doesn't do when a teacher trains an untrainable student. A servant that does not serve is worthless to a Master. Who knows whether he would continue to train or kick him out. As followers we must keep Jesus in our sight.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
~ James 1:2-7
let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,
~ Hebrews 12:1-2
let us run with endurance to persevere to the end. And let us not grow weary of doing good. ~ Galatians 6:9 Why run instead of walk? iono, but I would like to think there is a rush. A rush because we are all dying. Let us run with our sight fixated on Jesus/Word (John 1 - the word became flesh). When you run a marathon you run along the path given to you, endure it and you would persevere to the end. Sometime you don't see the goal when you start a race, it goes this way and that way, but if you persist along the path, you will see it. There are times we don't see Jesus/God in our lives, we have the Word but it seems He is not there with us. This reminds me of The Book of Esther, where God never appeared in it. Sometimes we run but we question is there really a goal? Shut up! you are halfway there. Let us not grow weary!
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
~ Galatians 6:6-10
Summary TODO
- keep Jesus in Sight
- open your eyes, open your ears to the Word. whether from mentors, pastors, and/or Bible
- remain in Him. keep his commandments
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
~ 1 Peter 1:5-9