Connections
by Pastor Jim Strelan
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I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
Read John 15:1–11
‘A chip off the old block!’
‘Just like his old man!’
That’s what we might say when we see a child who looks, acts and even walks like one of their parents. If you are a parent, have you ever heard your little one playing and pretending to talk on the phone and, alarmingly, heard yourself? It’s a bit scary, isn’t it? Your child is emulating and reflecting you.
It’s actually a natural thing. You have been a constant in your child’s life. You have been with them since their birth, even before. Who would you expect to have the most influence on them? You. Your child is connected to you, and you are connected to them – intimately. You would expect that what you are and the way you are would rub off on them. That is a connection that is very hard to sever.
Jesus uses an image that people of his time would easily understand. He is the vine, and the branches are intimately connected to him. The more connected they are, the more likely they will reflect him – to bear fruit. And when people see good fruit-bearing, they recognise what a good vine it must be.
How is your connection? When people see you, do they automatically see the One to whom you are connected? The good thing is that the Father is the gardener (verse 1), and, as such, he works at making the connection strong. He doesn’t just let it be, whatever its state. He works at it because when good fruit results, the Father receives glory (verse 8), and the possibility of others getting connected becomes real.
You can ensure that the connection with your child remains strong the more you invest in them. God invests in you. He is persistent. A severed connection pains him. In Isaiah 49:15,16, we are reminded that even if it were possible for a mother to forget her child, God can never forget us because he has our names engraved on the palms of his hands.
Jesus, keep drawing me closer to you. Amen.
Pastor Jim is a retired pastor living on Brisbane Northside. He served in Papua New Guinea and as school pastor in several schools and congregations with schools. Jim is married to Ruth, and they have three children and seven grandchildren, who Jim loves unconditionally. He loves to share the gospel as simply and clearly as he can.
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