Scripture: John 15: 1-7

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just 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. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Consider:

True gardeners use the act of pruning to redirect and encourage growth…pruning is not intended to be seen as a punishment to the plant in the world of flora and fauna, it is indeed the opposite. It is intended to bring the plant into full and abundant life. Shears in the hands of a caring and observant gardener can bring about glorious results.

We often view “pruning,” when talking about people, with a bit of trepidation. In our lives, pruning feels like loss—a closed door, an ended relationship, or a dream that didn’t take flight. However, John 15 invites us to see pruning not as a punishment, but as an act of God’s goodness and grace.

Jesus identifies God as the Vinedresser. In a vineyard, the vinedresser is the one with the vision. He isn’t hacking away at random; he is looking at the branch not for what it is now, but for what it has the potential to become. When God prunes us, He is removing the “suckers”—those small, green shoots that look like growth but actually drain the life-force of the branch without ever producing fruit. Pruning happens (and needs to happen) when our energy and focus fall to the things that aren’t the fruit of God’s call to us. Pruning takes away hateful feelings and old habits that don’t create new and good fruit of the Spirit.

If the Vinedresser didn’t care about the branch, He would leave it alone to become a tangled, unproductive mess. God prunes because God believes we are capable of producing something beautiful and nourishing for the world!

Respond:

What is something you can notice today that is a “sucker” of your time, your energy, your spirit? What is one thing you can notice that pulls from your focus on God’s good work and the joy of creation? How can it be pruned to take away less of your energy and focus?

Pray:

God of love, we know you are ever lovingly pruning us to be who you created us to be. Help us be open to the trimming as an act of love rather than loss, and guide us to grow toward you. Amen.

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