Gotta Love the Pruning

I loved the look of them. They were growing so tall and full. When I touched them, they left a familiar fragrance on my skin. But there was one small problem. They were not bearing fruit. I knew I had to do it. They must be pruned.

I am such a novice gardener. I really know nothing more than to plant the plants in dirt and keep them watered. But, as I watched my tomato plants get larger and larger and the growing season getting shorter and shorter, I couldn't ignore the lacking evidence of budding fruit any longer. Even as a novice, I knew pruning would be my answer. But, my knowledge of pruning only ran as deep as this familiar passage in the Bible - "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch 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)

I figured this Biblical principal would apply to my tomato plants so I asked a couple of questions from a fellow gardener, grabbed my scissors and began pruning. It was a little like cutting your daughters really long hair for the first time. I was a little nervous and shaky. But, before I knew it, I had a pile of tomato vines on the ground. All those that were not bearing fruit I cut off. (Well maybe not all but a lot of them). Then all the vines that were producing fruit, I pruned by taking off some of the new shoots. It felt good. Something inside me told me that it had to be done and it would be for the benefit of the plant. And boy was it! Within days, my plants were gorging with little yellow flowers. The plants were bearing fruit.

Now I think I am addicted to pruning. I go out there and look at my plants and think, "You are not bearing any fruit and I want to cut you off." I think I better get a grip. Otherwise, I might give a really bad haircut.

And on a more spititual note....Our appearance, to most, may very well look really healthy, tall and full, but the Gardener is looking for signs of fruit. The things in our life that are not bearing fruit, He will cut off. On the flip side, even the fruit we are bearing, may need some pruning. Our best bet? Stay connected to the True Vine and remember that the pruning is for our benefit.



Look at them there tomato plants!



Bearing much fruit!