The other afternoon, Robbie (my Godmother and employer) and I were in the back yard watering some plants. As we were discussing something or other, she remarked how her oregano plant wasn't looking so happy. In order to give him (many animate and inanimate objects are given gender in her household) a better chance at living in this oppressive heat, she said she would need to prune some of the dying branches and leaves off of the plant. She went on to assure her other plants that a good, caring gardener prunes them when they need it so that they can conserve energy to keep the rest of the plant alive and healthy.
My mind immediately zeroed in on this explanation. I was reminded of Jesus' teaching about the vine in John 15. Now I have read that passage multiple times and was even involved in Bible study discussions about it, but a big chunk of the meaning had never sunk in. In the passage, Jesus is using the symbol of a vine which had originally been used by God in the Old Testament (Psalm 80:8 & Hosea 10:1) to signify Israel as His chosen nation. In John, Jesus used the vine to convey the deep, infinitely connected relationship between Himself, the Father, and how believers are invited into relationship with God through Jesus. Jesus refers to himself as the "true vine," and to God the Father as the "vinedresser," the one who prunes and disposes of the dead branches. He goes on to tell those listening that if as a branch a person wanted to continue in relationship to the vine and to bear fruit, the branch would need to abide in the vine, to stay close to Jesus. The people who first heard and read the words about the vine understood the agriculture involved and the reference to themselves in the Old Testament. Jesus was calling them to remain a part of the vine and in order to do that they would need to believe in Him as the Son of God and to follow His commandments.
Christians can go to this teaching in John when they experience times in life of being changed and formed by God. Being "pruned," having a part of yourself (even one that you might actually like or be attached to) changed or taken away is not comfortable, in fact it can be downright painful. As humans who experience trouble and pain in life, we often want an explanation of why something is happening. I've been taught by wise Christians in my life that it's okay to ask God "why?" We won't always get an answer, but to ask is not wrong. God encourages us to ask Him questions and if you read the Psalms you can see that if our questions are sincere, they can be used to lead us to a better understanding of His character. In the instance of going through pain due to being changed to be more like Christ, we can look at the verses in John and understand that there is a reason.
I had already understood and held onto that understanding of the vine passage, at least intellectually, but the part that I didn't really get was that being pruned or changed is done out of love. I've been struggling a lot lately with seeing how God can be good and caring, how He is loving even in situations that I don't understand, that are actually quite awful. I, like any other human being, hate pain and suffering. And in my pain, or watching others in pain, I have a hard time seeing God as caring. Of course not every instance of pain is because of God's pruning. We live in a fallen world, and we will be deeply affected by our own sin, the sins of others, and the evil one. Yet in the beauty of redemption, God can use every situation whether good or bad to form us into the likeness of Christ. So there is hope in every place of pain, even if we can't see it. Or in my case, can understand parts of it intellectually but can't hold onto it with the rest of her being.
Coming back to the specific pain of being pruned. In listening to Robbie's conversation with her plants, I got a glimpse of how it is out of His care for us that we experience change, which at times can be painful. That God uses situations that we hate for our own good. If He didn't, if everything always went our way, we would be keeping the parts of ourselves that are withering and sucking up all of our energy. We desperately need to be pruned and most of the time we don't understand that if we aren't it will be detrimental to our own health. As much as I don't like admitting it, God knows better than I do about what is good for me. If my ultimate desire is to know Him and to know how to stay close to Jesus, then I need to be pruned. In His loving kindness, He even gave that realization to me. I couldn't have come to it on my own. My misunderstanding of God's goodness isn't necessarily "fixed" because of this glimpse of His care, but it's definitely working its way into my being. Getting to know God is a lifelong process, just as it is with any other relationship. I wanted to share a piece of my process in hopes that it could encourage others to keep seeking a better understanding of the Vinedresser.
“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. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
- Jesus (John 15:1-17)
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