Pruning Shears and such

I've never been into gardening. Give me a shovel cuz I want to at least sweat. Plus I've never like those garden hats. They look kind of spaceshipish. BUT, there sure is a lot that we humans have in common with your local front porch hedge. It has taken me quite some 27 years to begin to even understand what commonality there is. That one thing that we as humans share so much with a garden hedge....Well before I tell you let me give you the true source of this incredible truth because it didn't come from me. I just know it is something I've begun to experience.
The source of this brilliant analogy comes from the Bible. Oh great, another " I told you so " remark. No, actually not at all. Just pure truth. Ever asked your teacher where the saying " you will reap what you sow " comes from? Surprise it wasn't an amercian president or great mathematician...It was Jesus who said it...And now, how are you and I ever so similar to a front porch hedge? Everyone knows that a hedge, if given ample oppurtunity and little care, will literally grow out of control. It will take over the area, produce unwanted messes, and lack any real definition or beauty. So out of care and fondness for the hedge and hope that it would continue to birth even more beauty than what is present, one PRUNES it. That's right. Someone takes these really sharp abrasive shears and cuts away at the exterior so that it would grow to produce even more leaves and become a mature porch hedge.
I've never asked but I don't see how this can feel good for the plant. And it is exactly the same with us. I too continually go through pruning in my life. Time and time again we have things cut away from us (health, friends, family, jobs, material items, ie) so that we would keep maturing in our understanding of what is truly significant and become mature in our love for the One who ever so purposefully prunes us. The enture chapter of John 15 describes this in full detail. It is because of love that I experience pain often. It is because of God's compassion that I dont always succeed. Remember, the hedge's leaves don't have the ability to grow fresh leaves themselves.
They must depend on the nutrients and the root. How freeing is that for the leaf. It doesn't have to sit around and worry whether it is performing good enough to grow. That job is totally on the shoulders of the root. It does make it dependent though. My life is similar. I dont have to depend on myself to produce " New Me." Recall in John it says " abide in Me. For apart from Me you can do nothing." How freeing it is to know that it is by abiding that I have " New Fruit" produced in me. But abiding in what? Abiding in who? That's the money question. The ansewr to this is abiding in Christ! By abiding in Him the fruit of the Spirit is produced in me. Does anyone want this fruit? Let me tell you what the fruit is first. The fruit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. Now let me ask, " Who wants this fruit?"
Even better, who is willing to be pruned so that this fruit might be produced. That's the desire I want to have. I dont always. In fact right now I feel like I'm being pruned and though it does not feel good I sense the utmost need for it. The after effect of being pruned sure is nice. Now I see more why it is that faith is so key. Ummmm. I need rest.

Hebrews 11:1