Don’t let the gloves in the picture fool you…I am NO Expert Gardener….as the hostas in the back of the picture plainly reveal……..LOL! But for the sake of conversation, “What does it mean to prune?” If you look on the internet, pruning is the selective removal of unwanted or unnecessary parts from a plant….such as dead branches, buds, or roots. The overall purpose is to improve the health of the plant, make it stronger, and more productive. From a gardening perspective, there’s a lot that can result from pruning. Most of the time, it produces new growth and, my favorite, more beautiful flowers. But sometimes it has negative consequences. It can drain the plant’s energy, create irreversible wounds, and invites deadly pests and diseases, which can ultimately lead to death.

I am no Bible scholar. There are many, MANY people that know and understand much more than I do about God’s Word. But I believe we should be very careful when talking about pruning from a Biblical perspective and who it relates to….especially who we think is doing the pruning. We just might end up with wounds that can never be healed and a decline that cannot be reversed. Maybe what looks like pruning to one person is actually something much more telling.

I know I have had plants that I had to completely remove from a particular spot and plant them in a different area – for their benefit – so that they would not be hindered by bad soil, too much or too little sunlight, bad drainage, or disease. Don’t get confused and think for a second that God won’t do the very same thing for His children. If I will remove a plant by the roots to make it thrive and be more beautiful, my Heavenly Father will do the very same for His children….for their protection AND as a testimony to His love and faithfulness to them. So what might look like the Lord pruning His church to you just might be Him lovingly protecting His most dedicated, hardest working servants. Those saints are not unwanted, unnecessary, or dead. In fact, they are the ROOTS that help hold everything together by serving, mentoring, and loving others. Those are the ones that look the most like Jesus….His hands and feet. So why would anyone think God would “prune” them from His church? Unless I’m badly mistaken (and maybe I am), He never would. Only man’s pride and selfish ambition do that. The brook may dry up like it did for Elijah (as I have been reminded), but God will never leave nor forsake even one that belongs to Him. He will always provide….just like He did for Elijah.

From the time I was a child until now, God has always provided me with the very best Sunday school teachers, GA leaders, choir directors, and pastors that have left a mark on my life, taught me, and encouraged me to use the talents the Lord gave me to bring honor and glory to Him. From Mrs. Helen Smith, Aunt Donna, my parents and Maber, Laurie Browning, Brother Gene Richardson, Brother Rick Carter, Brother Doug Fletcher, Brother Ed McDaniel, Brother Dean Stewart, Brother David Westmoreland, and countless others…..they showed me what it looked like to serve and love God and love people. Those folks helped develop my roots – my faith in the only lasting firm foundation of Christ Jesus and His soul saving work on the cross of Calvary…and there is no greater gift that could be given.

And what about pruning?….thank GOD He continues to prune the dead, unwanted, and unnecessary parts of my flesh that I carry around and even pick back up from time to time. He does this because He loves me and wants only His best for me…..and all of His children.