For August 15th:

“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 NIV

It is out of a thankful heart that we love and serve the people around us. And what astonishes me every time that I serve someone else, God has something very special to teach me. I would like to share one of the things he taught me while pulling weeds from a beautiful garden of an elderly neighbor in East Brainerd.

I had just read Christ's parable about the weeds and the wheat. It's found in Matthew chapter 13 verses 24-30, and goes something like this: 

               

There was a good gardener that planted good seed in a field, but someone came to the field overnight and planted weeds. The weeds and wheat grew simultaneously and when they became visible to the good Gardner, he instructed his servants to allow the weeds to grow alongside the wheat until harvest so as to not injure the good wheat that was growing. Then, at harvest time the servants were instructed to gather the weeds and burn them while also gathering the good wheat and storing it in the barn. 

As I was pulling weeds I saw how disruptive weeds can be to a beautiful garden. I so badly wanted to remove the weeds, but quickly realized that I was not very good at that job. I am no gardener and barely know the difference from a good plant and a weed. With that being said, I was a little careless in my weeding and pulled off many good leaves as I was working.

Luckily, Jesus is much more careful with his weeding. In John 15:1-2 Jesus reminds 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. " (NIV) God carefully and diligently prunes us and removes the weeds that could be disruptive or distracting to our walk in him. 

Do you have weeds that are choking you and holding you back from a more intimate relationship with him? Will you allow God to carefully prune you so that you might bear good fruit? Remember, that he allows those weeds to grow around us so that we may be different to those who are of the world. Is he calling you to do something that stands out for his glory? Ask him to show you his desires for your life. 

Addie McCallie