“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
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The adult education director at the church I pastor has several plants in her office. One day, I came to the office area as she was watering one of her spider plants. The spider plant has long vines, leaves and small, white flowers. Here is what I noticed: She wasn’t watering all the individual leaves, stems and flowers. She just watered the soil around the main vine. And once she was done, she put the plant back by her window in the sunlight.
I find this image of her watering her plant so appropriate because she often compares our growth as Christians to how plants grow. The stems, leaves and flowers grow and blossom as long as they stay connected to the vine.
In John 15, Jesus tells us that He is the True Vine and we are the branches. His Father is the Vinedresser, or the one who cultivates the grapevines. If we want to grow and bear fruit, we only need to stay relationally connected to Jesus. Fruit looks like good works that glorify God and benefit others.
How do we stay connected to Jesus? We connect to Him when we are yielded to the Holy Spirit, study the Bible, believe what it says, and obey it. We are connected to Him when we are aware of Christ’s presence in our lives. As we stay connected to Him, the True Vine, we will grow and bear fruit.
— Ikki Soma, Iowa Wolves chaplain
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