This winter has been one of the wettest in my memory. We’ve had tremendous amounts of rain nearly every week. The ground is soft. And this week, the wind has been brisk. Recently, during the night I heard the creaking sound of a tree that finally gave into the wind. It’s roots gave way and the tree crashed. Thankfully, no damage was done, but it got me thinking about his passage.
I do understand that Jesus is talking here about vines, not trees, but there is an underlying principle that ties this all together: the plant is only as strong as its roots. That is true for trees, and it is true for vines. If the root system is healthy, the plant will thrive. If the root system is weak, the plant will never produce good fruit, not will it withstand the elements.
You and I are like those plants. Wherever we are planted, we send roots out into the soil looking for nourishment and life. Where are you drawing from? See, the tragedy for our culture is that we have so many options – so many pools of water that appear nourishing and life-giving, but they are actually poison! Where are you drawing from? When we connect to the wrong source, we destroy ourselves from the inside-out.
But notice, the opposite is true, too. A life connected with Jesus is a life overflowing with joy and divine strength (i.e. Grace). We have confidence that God does in us what we could never do in ourselves. Even better, when we are connected to Christ, we produce fruit – our lives have lasting purpose – and we find that we can survive any storm that blows our way. No wonder Jesus couched his teaching by saying, “I’m telling you this so that your joy may be complete.”