“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
1) Clear the worms
Recently, I tidied up my garden and spent a few hours pruning some of my plants. I should have done it earlier but I procrastinated. It started a few weeks ago when I saw a few leaves in a pot start to curl up. I knew it was due to a worm infestation which I could have easily solved with a wet wipe. It was a simple job but I was lazy. Later, I saw many more leaves curl up which resulted having to cut off not only the leaves but also some of the branches. The neighbouring plant was also infested and some worms were visible on top of the soil. I had to throw away the topsoil, add fresh fertilizer and spray some homemade insecticide on the plants. A few minutes’ job had become an hour-long chore due to my procrastination. I should have nipped the problem in the bud when I first saw the worms appear.
This incident reminded me of our sins, especially the seemingly small ones that we think are mostly harmless - such as our bad habits or attitudes toward others or a given assignment. These sins can gradually affect other areas of our spiritual life. A bad habit can turn into an addiction, while a bad attitude can hurt the people around us. Thank God that He is our Gardener who is not a procrastinator. He will speak to us through His Word or fellow Christians.
2) The foundation of a plant
While tidying my garden, I also pruned a second pot. This second plant proved to be a challenging task to prune due to the many thorns on the branches. A few weeks ago I noticed that the plant stopped growing new leaves and the base of the stem appeared to be dry. Again, my delay caused me to have to “resuscitate” the plant.
Even though the leaves looked fine outwardly the root had dried up, and eventually, the plant would die. I managed to cut off the dried stem and also cut off some of the branches and planted them directly into the soil. Now the leaves can have fresh nutrients from the soil through propagation. It reminded me that it is important to have a firm foundation, with our root of faith grounded in His Word. We may look fine on the outside, as we serve Him, but we may be spiritually dry or even dead in our spiritual walk with Him if we do not remain rooted in Him.
3) Bearing more fruits
The day after I worked on my garden, I chanced upon a documentary about a vineyard that was renowned for its wines. To maintain the taste and quality of the fine wine, the gardener had to pay close attention to the vine, not just keeping it pest-free but also pruning it regularly so that it would stimulate growth and make the plant stronger and more resilient. Then, the plant can produce more fruits and maintain the taste of the quality wine.
Thank God that He is such a good Gardener to us! He cares for us and cuts off what is dead for our benefit. He lovingly trims back ineffective things in our lives to make way for more fruits so that our gifting and talents can surface.
Are there any worms, dead branches or dry roots in your spiritual life that may hinder you in your growth or using your giftings? Let God be your gardener to prune you so that you can be more fruitful and have the fragrance of God in your life.
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