Pruning Roses

John 6:66-69  At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

My grandmother, Helen Brewer, loved roses! For as long as I can remember my Grandma and Grandpa Brewer I knew two things about them: Grandma loved roses, and Grandpa grew them for her. The thing is, Grandpa hated growing roses!

I can remember Grandpa out in the rose bushes with fertilizer, Miracle Gro, and pruning shears. He would go through and prune his roses, cutting off leaves and dead branches. He told me that pruning got rid of dead leaves and branches that weren’t going to grow anymore.

When Jesus talked to the crowds about hard things, some of them left him. It must have broken his heart to see them walk away from eternal life. They had pruned themselves from the root of salvation.

In churches sometimes there is a pruning. People who only come for a handout, or easy teaching that feels good, will leave the church when discipleship comes up. Where will they go? As Peter said, Jesus is the only one with the words that give eternal life.

Don’t get pruned!

Today’s Readings: 2 Kings  22; 2 Chronicles  34; John  6

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