The reason for the pruning

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.  He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that dos he prunes so that it bears more fruit.”  (John 15: 1-2)

When I read the above scripture this morning, I remembered at once a scripture that has today become one of my favorites, James 1: 2-4:

“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Now I know that the trials in James 1: 2-4 and the pruning in John 15: 1-2 are the same thing.   I have reason to be joyful when I face various trials. 

The Lord God is a Master Builder.  He is also a Master Teacher.  Look at this scripture in Psalm 144: 1-2:

“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.” 

So trials and pruning are methods of training “my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.”

The end product of the pruning, trials and training is a person that “is perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”  and ready for everything, like Paul in 1 Corinthians 3: 10 who says “According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder…”  My guess is that it took a lot for Paul to get to this stage.