Day 7: He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit
Jesus passes his torch to James who is standing just behind him. Bending over, Jesus runs his hand down the trunk of the vine nearest him, breaking off the tiny shoots that have recently sprouted. When he reaches the ground, he breaks off a larger, green fleshy shoot that is growing out of the base of the vine. Straightening up, he turns it over in his hand, thoughtfully contemplating the sucker he has just broken off the vine. He looks around at the faces of the disciples, lit by the full moon and the fire of the few torches they carry in the chilly spring evening. “See this?” he asks, holding up the broken shoot. Everyone nods.
“The Gardener cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit.”
The disciples’ eyes narrow in thought, wondering where Jesus is going with this metaphor.
Vineyard Metaphor
We know this conversation took place in late spring because it was Passover. Waking up from winter dormancy, a vine in spring exuberantly pushes out new growth. Bud break (buds breaking into bloom) happens in early spring and by late spring the new shoots are strong. If the vine is healthy, it will put out more shoots than the gardener wants. In order to concentrate the energy of the vine towards excellent fruit, some of the shoots will need to be cut off.
Which ones to cut? The ones that will not bear fruit! During the winter season, the gardener intentionally pruned the vine, leaving specific buds that will produce fruit. Any shoots that are not part of the plan to produce fruit or the green canopy to protect the fruit, need to be taken off. These shoots are called “suckers.” They, literally, suck the energy of the vine away from the fruit.
The untrained eye might mistake suckers for vigorous, beautiful growth, but a good gardener is not fooled and will go through the vineyard and quickly cut off unproductive growth.
The best time to take care of suckers is when they are very small and can easily be removed by just breaking them off with your hand. At this point, the vine has invested only a small amount of resources to push out this unproductive shoot. If a gardener waits too long to do the suckering in the vineyard, the shoots become more established, and a sharp knife or clippers are necessary to remove the sucker.
Reflection and Meditation
Just as suckering is a regular, annual event in the vineyard, God regularly cuts things out of our life that may look good, but will not bear the kind of fruit he is looking for.
Ponder for a moment how you have seen God work in your life seasonally, year to year, to take off suckers that will not bear fruit.
Can you identify how he has pinched off suckers in the past that would have tripped you up? What seemingly good thing in your life is God removing right now? Identify the ways it sucks energy from the production of good fruit in your life.
Ask God to help you trust him as he continues to break off the suckers in your life.
“Be Free for God
I have a need
of such clearance
as the Savior effected in the temple of Jerusalem
a riddance of clutter
of what is secondary
that blocks the way
to the all-important central emptiness
which is filled
with the presence of God alone.”