These past couple weeks in Eastern Washington I noticed an increase in the number of trucks transporting apple bins. There were several occasions where we would be following behind these trucks delivering empty bins to the apple orchards. Having lived in the area for 7 years I was reminded of all the work that goes into a fruitful harvest.
I had often wondered what those large square bins were when we first moved to the area. Jesus, also having grown up and ministered in an agriculture environment, used many common observations to communicate spiritual truths. John 15 contains one section where Jesus illustrates God’s working in our lives to farming fruit. ““I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1). It is here that Jesus refers to himself as the source of the fruit and God the Father as the one the cares for the grape vines to enable them to produce the fruit. What most of us don’t think about while purchasing grapes at the grocery store is all the work that goes into fruit production. Yes, there are busier times, like harvest, but there are also the times like late fall and winter of hand pruning each tree. Harvesting fruit, for the most part, still requires hands on attention from the vinedresser, even 2000 years later!
What a powerful picture of God’s intentional work in the life of each follower of Jesus. The obvious goal of all this time and energy is to produce top quality fruit. Jesus continues that parallel. “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2). One of the necessities of bearing fruit involves pruning. For the vine it involves removing the old, excess and unfruitful portions of the vine. What I learned living in fruit country is that fruit comes from new growth. Think about this; the old branches do not directly produce fruit, but support the fruit of the new growth branches. I believe Jesus is pointing out the need for continued growth in the lives of his followers. The consistent new growth in their lives will produce fruit for God. And our heavenly father is continually do the same work in our lives.
Spiritual pruning isn’t particularly enjoyable because it requires change in my life. Jesus’ brother James also got it. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4).
The busyness of the orchard reminded me that the Lord’s hands personally are at work in my own life and of my responsibility to invest in daily leaning into Jesus. Jesus reminds us of our responsibility. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15).
The next time you are enjoying your favorite (or any) seasonal fruit, remember it is a picture of what God is desiring to do in your life and in our world today!
-Pastor Joe Parkinson