A few weeks ago, I noticed that the rose garden at church needed work. So with the help of others, we sat to work cleaning and pruning. After we finished the cleaning and pruning, I didn’t know if we would ever have roses again; I mean, it looked terrible.
As the days went by, I noticed that they were beginning to come back. After a few weeks, I noticed that the garden was full of roses again.
Then I planted some tomatoes in our garden. After they had time to grow some, I pruned them, and as I was pruning, I asked myself a question, “Why do I do this?
Well, here is the answer. I prune them to keep the useless suckers that would take vitality from the plants. I knew that was the right reason, but I knew there had to be more to it than that. So I “Googled it.” Here are some other reasons.
- Pruning helps with the yield.
- Pruning prolongs the season.
- Pruning encourages sunlight.
- Pruning minimizes soil-diseases.
- And last but not least, pruning produces bigger fruit.
I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”
John 15:1-4
The dictionary defines pruning as “to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to encourage growth,” and this definition works when thinking about pruning in a Christian sense.
To grow spiritually, become purposeful, and remain in a healthy relationship with Christ, we have to cut the bad influences and distractions out of our lives. We can’t continue pursuing worldly values that don’t correspond with godly values if we choose to prioritize God and put him at the center of our lives.
