Trimming Trees

With a snap, crack, and a pop another limb gets grabbed by gravity and is forced to drop.Away from the tree, into the air, and onto the ground. The branch is gone for good, soon to be burned in a fire.

Chainsaw buzzing, hands tingling, the tree trimmer's eyes scan the canopy for more places to bring the blade. Seeing between the beautiful green buds, it's the old, dead branches that get cut. Before too long, the old tree choking for air will thrive rather than simply survive.

Jesus talked a bit about this with his disciples - minus the chainsaw.

In a divine moment with his closest friends, Jesus paints a picture of trimming trees and offers new depth of understanding how we live in a relationship with Him.

Branches bearing fruit are connected. The dead branches get cut out and thrown in the fire. Fruit bearing branches are a testament to the goodness and grace of God, bringing Him glory by simply remaining connected and bearing fruit.

Wind whips through trees, breaking some branches and shaking all of them. Under the weight of snow and ice, the non-fruitful trees break off and fall to the earth. No matter what the weather does, a branch that is connected remains alive.

We humans are branches.

Are you connected to Christ?

(read more in John 15)