ALLEGORY OF GROWTH

The only Christian growth found in the soils of social freedom is forgetfulness. It's true. Left to our own sense of cultural 'security' we fall like a crippled, bored, and war-less Rome. When we possess no fights to face, the concern of our energies go to fruitless endeavors; we concentrate on questions of church venue, style of worship, theologically correct wording, and we so easily escape the most important questions of Christianity:

Is it true?
Is it worth it?


It is not in fields of ease but trial where real fruit is grown. Thus, while the whole kingdom of God may be rightly seen as the broad stretched limbs of a mustard tree, we are portrayed as not a tree but as branches of a vine.
A vine that needs the realities of forthcoming winters to motivate its growth.
A vine that needs weeks of drought to spur it to set deep and searching roots.
A vine that needs regular pruning to encourage vigor and vitality.

After all, most vines bear the best fruit after pruning and hard winters.


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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. - John 15