Tell Me What You See ~ Making Grapes

Greetings Dear Reader,

I learned about the patience of planting, growing, and pruning from my Grandfather.  Between his garden and his farm, he was often walking among crops and trees he had planted.  I was often with him in his garden when he would cut back plants to yield space for healthier ones or when we would pinch suckers off of tomato plants together.

Once, on the farm, I watched my Grandfather prune his pear and peach trees.  His father had planted those trees.  He cut away branches that were not putting out good fruit or healthy leaves.  His fruit trees were always rich with peaches and pears during harvest season.  My Grandmother would have ample fruit for her pickled peaches and pear preserves. 

This I am statement of Jesus’ is one that requires understanding.  When we prune grapes, we institute the plant's natural response to produce more fruit.  We leave the parts of the vine that will yield the most grapes.  All of this is useless without a strong, true vine.  Here is what Jesus says about himself:

John 15:1-5 “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 bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

We understand pruning.  What impacts me here is that we have a deeper understanding of our connectedness to Jesus.  We proceed from him as branches from his true vine.  He prunes us so that we can produce more fruit.  He makes it clear that he cuts away what hinders us.  Jesus states that apart from him we can do nothing. 

I have to remind myself of this daily.  I have to be pruned.  It really hurts sometimes but it is always worth it.  Jesus’ cousin John said, “He must increase and I must decrease.”  Luke reminds us that in Jesus “we live and move and have our being.”  It is not possible for me to do anything apart from Christ that is not dead. 

When we look at Jesus honestly, we can see that all he does is to make us more suited for helping others see him.  When we produce the sweet fruit that love and kindness yield, others can be grafted into our vineyard.  Look at the way Jesus cares for us to make us better.  Look at the Vine and tell me what you see, Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

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“He is divine and you are de-branch.  He’d love to get you through it if you give him a chance.” – Keith Green