based on the LGG Study, Abiding in Jesus/w1d2
Read and SOAP: John 15:2
He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
John 15:2
Whether we are women who devote a lot of time to hair and make-up and great detail to the clothes we put on, or we’re a jeans and t-shirt and just the basics kind of woman – I would venture to say that most of us at least look in the mirror before we leave the house. Bells and whistles or just the basics may not matter, but a poor reflection of who we are should. My parents raised me to remember that what I said and did, where I went, and how I behaved and talked mattered and were a reflection on the family I belonged to.
And whatever you do and say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17
As I grew in my faith, I learned the same was true, and even more so, in the family of God. While God looks at the heart and not the outward appearance of man, what we do and say in this world should be a reflection of Jesus Christ and not the world. This may seem overwhelming at times, even impossible. However, just as my parents provided for me and taught me right from wrong, God has given me everything I need for living a godly life. He did so with the purpose that every follower of Jesus would bear Christ-like fruit and attract others to Him.
Today’s verse is a reminder that we don’t have to do this alone. Actually, as the branches in this allegory, we can’t. For, as the branches, we are dependent both on the vine (Jesus), who gives us new life, and the gardener (God), who shapes us and trains us in the way we should go. When I made a mistake as a child, my parents would correct me, training me and pointing me in a better direction. Today’s passage is a reminder that God does the same thing through his work of pruning, not to hurt us but to help us live full and vibrant lives in Christ “so that we will bear more fruit.” As we will see in the coming days of our journey, when a believer bears “fruit” they are a reflection of Christ to the world around them.
Our lives and the fruit we bear are meant to glorify Him and bless others. That’s why our Heavenly Father will not leave us the way we are. Being disciplined or pruned may hurt us, but it will never harm us. God is always after our good, and we can always trust Him,” even in the pruning.
Abiding In Jesus, Bearing Fruit that Lasts/p45
I love most fruits, so when I see them in a store or market, they attract my attention. However, the ones that really catch my eye and land in my shopping basket are the vibrant, healthy ones. Discolored bananas? No thanks. Mushy or moldy strawberries? No way! Bright oranges are absolutely going in the basket, but never the faded ones. I can’t help but think this is how it is for ‘church shoppers,’ non-believers, or skeptics of Christianity when they see or hear a believer in their neighborhood, office place, a sporting venue, school, or anywhere in the world. We need to ask ourselves: Do they see vibrant, healthy, appealing fruit, or are they turned away by the discoloration of the world, still noticeable in our language, attitudes, and/or behavior? Oh, that we might faithfully abide in the Vine and yield to the Gardener’s care and pruning so that we might bear more fruit that glorifies God and blesses others.
Me From the Inside Out 