I read a story a few weeks ago about a man who had rented a house which had a large mango tree in the backyard. The owner told him that unfortunately, the tree had never produced fruit. Following that discussion, a man came to cut the grass and he told the renter that he knew what to do to get the tree to bear fruit the next year. The renter was thrilled and told him to do whatever he had to do to get it to produce (I had to wonder what the owner felt about that!).
Later that day, the renter went out to look at the tree and he was mortified at what he saw. The tree, which was previously lush and provided shade for the house, was now barren. Almost all of the branches had been cut off and all that was left was the tree trunk. He wanted to be angry…but he knew he had given the man full reign to do what needed to be done. And much to his surprise, the next year the tree was filled with mangos. The gardener had known how to prune a tree so that it would bear much fruit.
I found it interesting in this story that it wasn’t that the tree looked dead when the man moved into the house. He said that it was lush and was providing shade. So, to look at the tree, no one would have known that there was a problem unless you were told that it was supposed to be bearing fruit…but it wasn’t.
This observation made me think of my life and what others see when they look at me. Do I have the appearance of being a Christian only on the outside? If someone sees the real me…do they see fruit or am I barren? And am I willing to be pruned by my Jesus to ensure that I am bearing fruit to the fullest?
I think it all comes down to a word that I’ve written about many times before…trust. Do I trust that Jesus knows what needs to be stripped away in my life so that I will bear the fruit that He desires? The truth is, if I do trust Him completely, then I should be willing to let Him work in me and through me for His glory.
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I have this small pot hanging in our front yard. Because the pot is so small, the plant in it grew quickly and so twice this summer I have had to cut the plant way back. Both times it hurt me to have to take so much off of it, but each time the plant has grown back fuller and even more beautiful. When I look at it, I am reminded that, just like this plant, sometimes Jesus needs to cut things out of my life, removing any dead branches that aren’t producing so that my life can yield more fruit for Him.
Allowing Jesus to prune me isn’t always fun…but I know it will be worth it in the end. Why? Because then I will look more like Him…and that’s a reflection in the mirror that I long to see!
“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.”
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