“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.”
(John 15:1-2 NIV)
Why Do You Prune a Plant?
As I was trimming a bouquet of flowers yesterday, I said to my roommate, “Isn’t it strange that to keep these flowers alive you have to cut them again?” I learned that if you cut the stems of the flowers after about a week and put them in new water, they tend to last longer than if you left them as they are.
When I opened the Bible this morning, I saw the same botanical principle in God’s Word. In John 15, Jesus gives us a gardening metaphor to explain our relationship with him and with God the Father. Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener” (John 15:1 NIV).
If you have ever taken care of plants, you might not be surprised by what Jesus says next. “He [the Father] 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” (John 15:2 NIV).
Not only did this verse show me a universal gardening principle—that pruning a plant brings more growth—it also comforted me, and I hope it will comfort you too.
God the Father Prunes Us
Picture yourself as a plant (that’s what Jesus encourages us to do here). You’re bearing fruit. You are showing signs of health. Then, all of a sudden, you are wounded—cut. You’re reduced to a smaller size and feel barren.
You may be tempted toward despair or discouragement. Why has this happened? I’m not fruitful anymore! I have so far to go! I feel humiliated. I can’t possibly be thriving.
Yet, what does Jesus tell us? The Father only prunes branches that bear fruit. If he has pruned you, it’s not a punishment. He has pruned you because you are truly connected to the vine, Jesus, and draw life from him. The Father can prune you safely, because you are one of the branches who remains connected to the life source (John 15:5).
Why Does the Father Prune Us?
And why does the Father prune? So that you might “be even more fruitful” (John 15:2 NIV). Pruning will lead to greater growth in the fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The season shortly after being pruned requires patience to wait on the growth that will come. But the Father knows that the painful cut and patient waiting are necessary for increased fruitfulness. In fact, for a plant to keep producing, you must prune it.
I have heard it said that God has no friends he has not wounded (Proverbs 27:6). Take heart. Maybe the Father has pruned you recently, and the wound of his garden shears still stings. Maybe you feel discouraged waiting for new growth.
Remember that God only deals this way with those he loves, who already know him and live fruitful lives. And remember also that God has plans to prosper you spiritually (James 1:2-4). He only prunes so that after a patient wait, you might produce more spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). He has pruned you for your long-term joy and for his glory.
If you have put your faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, then God will never cut you off from the vine and let you wilt and die. He will only trim you, doing the painful work necessary for your growth so that you can thrive.
Thank God today for being the gardener of your soul, who cares for you and desires you to spiritually prosper (Psalm 35:27).