Crazy Tree

 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4

I spent a day with about seventy 2nd and 6th graders on a field trip Wednesday.  We spent most of the day down at Stoney Creek enjoying a perfect spring day.  Everything is in full blown sprout, bloom and blossom.  I loved listening to the kids laugh, screech and enjoy God’s creation.  As I watched them all together I paused to realize just how beautiful God’s work is to behold; kids included!  I think I get busy and take it for granted so it was a great day to slow down and soak it all in.  I think my eyes were opened to things I hadn’t been noticing so when I got home I took a walk around the house and I was reminded of an old post about a beautiful tree back by the barn.  Since spending the day with that many kids outside runs your battery right down to nothing I decided to share an old post about a crazy tree!

We have the craziest tree in our backyard.  Dave planted the silly dwarf peach tree more than 25 years ago.  As you would imagine with the word dwarf in the description it’s a small tree, peppered with random dead branches.  It really is a sad looking little thing but in the spring it’s so pretty we don’t have the heart to cut it down.   The tree typically bears five or six peaches every few years so we don’t really pay much attention to it because quite frankly…it’s all about the spring blossoms.  Last summer Dave was mowing lawn and saw a few peaches on the ground under the tree and when he looked up he noticed the tree was loaded with peaches.  We picked two full buckets of peaches from that tiny little tree.  The whole time we were picking we just kept shaking our heads in surprise!

Jesus’s words in this Gospel challenges us not to be like that peach tree.  I had no expectations of fruit from that tree but it surprised me and did what it was supposed to do.  I hope my fruit is more abundant and consistent than that tree in my backyard.  God does expect us to remain in Him and bear much fruit.  He expects us to be a vibrant, consistent, living witness to his love and mercy not just a little burst from time to time and then dormancy.  The great news, all we have to do is stay connected to the life-giving grace he provides and he will bear the fruit in us.  We need to accept his pruning and trimming and correction as we grow because that’s what keeps us strongly rooted and productive.

 

A Seed To Plant:  What kind of fruit does your faithfulness produce.  Make a list of the fruits you bear for others.

Blessings on your day!