Written by Ayane Nayara, Brazil Assistant for Iron Rose Sister Ministries
In the northeast region of Brazil, where I live, we are in the time of year when the fruit trees are full of their fruit. It's a beautiful sight to see; our eyes are filled with the beauty of each fruit, with its different shape and color. After this season, the farmers who care for these trees have the job of cleaning them, removing dead branches and leaves, and adding fertilizer, preparing them for the following seasons so that, in due time, they will bear fruit again.
I once lived in a house with a huge mango tree in the yard. It was beautiful. When I first moved in, I thought, "I'll eat plenty of mangoes when the time is right." The time for that mango tree to bloom came, and it did, just like all the others in the region, but when the time came for the flowers to turn into fruit, they began to fall. While all the mango trees I saw around the city were laden with fruit, the one in my yard was empty. I found out that my tree hadn't borne fruit for years.
Jesus often used illustrations from agriculture and fishing to teach people about the message of the Kingdom and the Gospel, and I particularly enjoy these illustrations because I appreciate this way of life. On two occasions (Jn 15:1-6 and Lk 13:6-9), He tells His disciples two parables. The first is about the true vine, and the second about a fig tree that did not bear fruit. Reading them allowed me to reflect on some points that I want to share with you.
- If you or I are not bearing fruit, we should repent (Lk 13:6-9)!
We were called to be part of a Kingdom where each one plays their role, and that is a privilege. We were dying, useless branches that by ourselves were incapable of producing anything, and we were connected to a tree that made us capable of producing fruit. So, let's bear fruit! God has given us, through Christ, a new chance, and we cannot waste it. We cannot occupy a space that could be filled by someone who would bear fruit, without bearing any fruit at all. We must be fruitful! Or we will be like that mango tree in my yard, blossoming – pretending that we will bear fruit, but that fruit never comes to be (Col 1:21-23).
- We need to be pruned of our old habits so that we can bear more fruit, and better fruit (Jn 15:2).
And that is exactly what God wants to do with each of us who are in Christ--To prune us so that we may be more fruitful. But what would this pruning entail?
The Greek term for pruning is also used for cleansing. God, our Father, wants to cleanse us. The reason a farmer prunes trees, removing dead branches and leaves, is so that the plant doesn't waste its energy and nutrients on things that are not worth cultivating and that hinder the growth of the fruit. God wants to cleanse us of what can hinder our fruitfulness. Surely there are some twigs of sin in our hearts that drain our energy and hinder our growth, and that is exactly what God wants to remove from our hearts.
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1Pe 1:23 NIV)
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. (1Pe 2:1-2)
- There is no other way to bear fruit except by remaining in Jesus Christ (Jn 15:5).
We can observe that while Jesus speaks to His disciples in John 15:1-6, He repeats the word "remain" at least six times. Clearly, He wanted to convey to them the importance of this attitude. To bear fruit and continue to be cleansed by our great Gardener, we need to remain in Christ. There is no other way to grow. We are incapable of producing anything or even sustaining ourselves alone. Without Christ, we are nothing more than dry and dead branches.
Finally, sisters, God expects from us what we were called to do – bear fruit. This work is a two-way street: our surrender in allowing ourselves to be cleansed and used by our Gardener, and His work in us, pruning and cleansing our hearts of all that hinders our development.
Reflect:
What is hindering the growth of your fruit and needs pruning? Are you willing for this pruning to happen?
