Newsletter July 23, 2008
From the Associate Pastor. . .
I planted some “Knock-Out” rose bushes this spring near the front corner of my house. I needed some cover for an area that I thought was rather bare. Len Williams suggested this type of hearty and fast-growing rose bush. He also gave me some counsel about caring for them. He advised me that if I wanted the plants to bloom to their full potential, I should regularly prune them rather than let them simply follow their natural course.
Now, I am a willing but inexperienced (ignorant . . . might be more accurate) gardener. So, I was glad that he prompted me to think about pruning the bush, because pruning seems counter-intuitive to me. I wanted the bushes to spread and grow; cutting them back seemed like it would work against this purpose. But experienced gardeners know that pruning most bushes or shrubs will in the long run enhance their beauty and productivity.
Jesus used pruning as a metaphor for the way God interacts with us: "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" (John 15:1-2). In this statement, Jesus makes it clear that there is more than one reason to prune; God cuts off branches that don't bear fruit, but He also prunes branches that do.
Cutting off what is dead makes a lot of sense. But you have to understand a bit more about plants and the way they grow to understand why cutting off what is fruitful makes sense, too. As I understand it, once a blossom has died, a plant will continue to send nourishment to it; if you prune back the branch, the plant can store up its energies to produce more new blooms. So, in that sense, pruning is the “kindest cut” because it is cutting back in order to have more. Pruning literally rejuvenates by allowing the vine to produce new growth rather than spending its nourishment on gangling branches that are no longer fruitful.
Sometimes it can be really confusing when God ends something that has been truly fruitful. Such a conclusion can make one second-guess the good work that has been accomplished or doubt God's faithfulness. If a work is bearing fruit, why would He allow it to end?
The best answer seems to be that God is the one who "changes times and seasons" (Daniel 2:21). He doesn't let good things go on forever just because they are good things. He prunes our lives, our vocations, our ministries, and our relationships so that they can become even more fruitful in a new season.
Pruning can be dangerous when it is done by an amateur like me. One website warned, "In most cases, it is better not to prune than to do it incorrectly." Another advised that you not prune while “angry.” I'm sure that many an angry gardener has taken out his frustration through overzealous pruning! But God is not an amateur. He is the wisest and most experienced of gardeners. He isn't too timid to prune a fruitful branch, because He wants the vine to flourish. The next time you realize that God is pruning something in your life, expect that He has beautiful and glorious things He wants to produce in you, if you wait and allow Him to bring forth His fruit in its season.
Pastor Mullinax