I was sitting and drinking coffee yesterday looking at a tree we had to cut back earlier in the year. The branches were lying heavy on my roof and I was afraid that by the time the summer storms come, it might cause damage, so we cut them back heavily.
When it was done, I was disappointed, because with the big branches went most of the canopy. The ‘reason’ for the tree was gone. At least the kids could still climb it a bit… and we had a lot of firewood.
But yesterday, I was looking at the tree and noticed how many shoots popped out of this tree! Its like the tree had a point to make! Around every big branch we cut off is a bunch of little new shoots. In Winter! Like the tree was committed that come summer, the kids will play in shade.
And maybe that is what Jesus was talking about… when we are planted next to the brook of life giving water, we cannot do anything else but grow, it becomes our nature to bear fruit and grow. But just being big and strong doesn’t mean we are going to give big and strong fruit. For us, maybe growing big and strong isn’t always the goal – giving fruit that feeds others is the goal.
What we need is a little bit of hardship to get that life giving, super growing juices and focus away from making branches, and into making a harvest of fruit.
And that is exactly what I have been a witness to, in my garden and in my community. Big branches came down, but people’s hearts opened up. Neighbours are talking to each other, and strangers pay for other people’s food at the shops. Yesterday there is a yellow ribbon on a gate, and today there are two bags of groceries standing by the gate.
Isn’t it amazing to think that what we are experiencing as hardship and miracles is displayed as natural law in nature?
“…But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!”
(John 15:7-8)
