“He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit: “Every branch that bears fruit he prunes” (John 15:2, NRSV).

 

This passage from John’s gospel has created a bit of angst for many readers over the years. The impression is that, like a gardener, God will lop off every Christian who fails to produce an acceptable yield of good works, then throw that person onto the trash heap.

However, the true meaning of the word prune refers to cleansing. A common practice among those who grow grape vines is that of pruning and cleaning. When grape vines are left unattended, they will grow wild. Vines can produce offshoots, which produce nothing but leaves that steal vital moisture and nutrients from the grapes. Even more, secondary and tertiary vines can grow onto the ground, thereby exposing them to molds and bacteria that can potentially harm the plant. A conscientious gardener will lift these vines from the ground, clean them thoroughly, and place them onto a trellis in order for air to circulate and keep the vine healthy.

 

In the use of this metaphor, Jesus is offering his church an important insight. God isn’t in the business of throwing out the disciple whom He considers to be useless. Rather, God is like a gardener who uses the circumstances of life to cleanse that person from harmful traits that can damage one’s Christian witness. God prunes off those parts of every disciple whose inner and outer life fails to reflect the love of Jesus.

 

So, the next time you encounter a painful circumstance, you would be wise to stop and ask the Lord, “How are you using this occasion to make me more like you? What particular aspect of my life needs cleansing? What can I do, Jesus, to help you help me?”