Bear good fruit
Christ is the vine, we are the branches! For thousands of years, grapes have been harvested to make wine. It's a complex process, requiring a skilled winemaker, good soil, and perfect timing. The vintner prunes and cleanses the vines and observes the ripening of the grapes to determine the precise time of harvest. It's hard work, but when everything comes together, it's worth the effort. Jesus knew a thing or two about good wine. His first miracle was turning water into the finest wine ever tasted. But what matters to him is more than that. In the Gospel of John, we read how he describes his relationship with each of us: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (Joh 15,1-2).
Like a healthy vine, Jesus provides us with a steady flow of vitality, and his Father acts as a vineyard worker who knows when and where to remove unhealthy, dying branches so we can move more forcefully and unchecked in the right direction. Of course he does this so that we bear good fruit. - This fruit we reach through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It shows in: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As with a good wine, the process of changing our lives from a broken vessel to a finished work of redemption takes a long time. This path can be associated with difficult and painful experiences. Fortunately, we have a patient, wise and loving Savior who is both a grapevine and a winemaker, and who guides the process of our redemption with grace and love.
by Joseph Tkach
