Life is Like a Rose Bush

John 15:1-17

(The second of two devotionals on this passage.)

 

 

We have a rose bush in our front yard. It was there when we bought our home. Although I’ve never been much of a gardener I have kind of adopted this rose bush. Every year it has produced tons of flowers. One harvest will come and go, followed by another.

 

But then last year I noticed that beetles were attacking it. They would swarm over a flower and eat it; eventually killing it. I bought some spray and would drench the bush but it didn’t seem to deter the beetles. Now if I see them swarm on a bloom, I prune the flower. Sometimes I flick them off with my finger sending them into orbit.

 

It’s become personal for me. Those nasty beetles attacking my poor defenseless rose
bush. I get angry at them and frustrated that they keep coming back. But we keep fighting them; the bush and I that is. Somehow the rose bush keeps budding and producing beautiful flowers. That’s what it was created to do of course.

 

In today’s passage Jesus said, ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you

can do nothing… ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

 

Like the rose bush, bearing fruit is what we as believers are created to do. You might do this by serving as an usher, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school, helping with VBS or serving on a committee. Or maybe you help with a homeless ministry or food pantry or go on a short term mission’s trip.

 

It could also mean that you show God’s love by word or deed with the cashier at Meijer or Walmart or Wendy’s. It might mean treating your mechanic or restaurant server or person that cuts you off in traffic the way Jesus would. Why do we do this?

 

From the same passage Jesus said, ^12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

 

As a disciple of Christ we are called to bear fruit with the same love that Christ showed us. He has given us gifts for us to bear fruit. And he has brought people into our lives for us to bear fruit with. People like our friends, co-workers, family members, people at church and others.

 

Like my rose bush, we have been created for this. We may need some pruning by the Gardener, or there may be spiritual attacks (probably not beetles though). But in the end, Jesus called his disciples to bear fruit in love. What will you do to bear fruit?