The Life Source

[Jesus said,] “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.” John 15:5, NIV

“NATURE STAYS WITH NATURE,” one of my best friends said to her little boy. He was desperately trying to bring his walking stick inside the house, along with a pocketful of acorns and a neon-green slug perched on top of a yellow maple leaf. He wanted to take the fun inside, but his momma wanted the fun to stay in its natural habitat.

Jesus was always using the natural world around Him to tell people stories, to connect their thoughts to higher purposes, and to make analogies. He talks about our faith moving mountains even if it’s as small as a mustard seed. He talks about flowers being dressed more beautifully than the richest kings. He talks about vines and branches—about you and me.

Jesus says He is the Vine. The life source for everything. From Him flow all the nutrients that give life to those connected to Him. And we, the needy and helpless branches, have one job: to stay connected to the Vine. To remain in Him, abide in Him, and make our home in Him. My friend’s advice holds true for us. Just as nature must stay with nature to thrive, so must we stay connected to the Vine to thrive.

It doesn’t take long to know when a branch is dead. It’s usually separated from the tree—on the ground, brittle, lifeless, trampled by others passing by. And some days I feel like this. On these days, I am usually not remaining and abiding in the Vine. I’m not bearing fruit. Because, as Jesus says, apart from Him we wither and can do nothing.

What does it look like to stay connected to the life source? To remain and abide? Jesus goes on to explain, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. . . . This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:10, 12).

Loving other people keeps us connected to God? This may seem strange. But in Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is twofold: to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and to love others as we desire to be loved.

Think about it like this: If you say you love me but treat my children poorly, I might question your love. To love me is to love my kids. God the Father is the same way. Loving His kids is loving Him. The two are connected and keep us connected to the Vine.

God is so faithful and gracious to us when we reach out and connect to Him as we connect to others. Grace looks like extending kindness to our grumpy coworker, serving our spouse, and returning love in the face of anger to our neighbor. It looks like loving as Jesus loved. And when we do so, we’ll never find ourselves apart from Him.

GRACE REFLECTION: To whom can you show love today? Think about how loving them is loving God.