Wednesday, September 05, 2007

branches


There are many branches in my life. Some bear fruit and some do not.

Jesus said in John 15:1-2, I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.

I am beginning to realize more and more as I get older that I there is great virtue and wisdom in the ability to say 'No'. Especially to yourself.

24 hours in a day. 7 days in a week. 52 weeks in a year. That is all I've got. There simply is not enough time to do everything I want to do, not to mention everything I have to do.

So I've been struggling for the last few months with this idea of branches. I have a lot of branches in my life; a lot of things I do. Some are fruitful, others are not.

Unfortunately, I can't always tell the difference.

And that is very hard for me, because its not really about what I want to do or don't want to do. Ultimately, the issue boils down to what is fruitful and what isn't. That is what is most important. There is a lot that I want to do...and can do, but not all of it is time well spent. Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial (I think Oprah I said that or something).

God has given each of us talents and gifts and passions and...time. And we would be fools to let any one of those go to waste.

God, I want to bear as much fruit as absolutely possible in the time I'm given. And that takes pruning. As I continue to abide in You, help me remove the fruitless branches. And by Your grace and to Your glory, prune the fruitful branches that they might produce even more fruit.

9 comments:

Betsy said...

amen.

Anonymous said...

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure...measure a year?

bill said...

well played, anonymous.

Betsy said...

one more thing. does this mean you will be cutting out fantasy football leagues?

Anonymous said...

sometimes you have to prune a sucker shoot. that is one thst has beautiful fruit, but it is too big and takes its strength by robbing the rest of the plant.

the good is the enemy of the best.

Betsy said...

i like that anonymous. whoever you are.

dburn said...

If it comes down to choosing between corn bag toss and fantasy football I hope you choose to keep playing corn bag... but I guess if you quit you'd finish on top (undefeated)

michaelCODY said...

Another good post. Welcome back. Um.. I was told you would be emailing me about the possibilities of filming.

The Anonymous Human said...

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