Today, as snow-pregnant clouds begin obscuring the sun’s rays, I watch the world outside my window lose its warm glow. Standing in stark gray contrast to its snowy white backdrop, is our little orchard.
Last spring, I asked a friend to come over and give our fruit trees a long-overdue pruning. She carefully considered which branches should go, and which should stay. She thinned out the unhealthy branches, the branches that kept air flowing freely through the trees, and the branches that crowded or crossed other, more crucial branches.
But the pear tree was different. After trimming away the obvious, my friend stopped. In the middle of this tree, two large branches grew together in tight quarters. In fact, one branch rested securely in the fork of the other.
I study those two branches for a moment. They’re so solidly entwined, neither could go without them both suffering. Cut the forked branch, and its neighbor would be weakened. Cut the branch without the fork, and the forked branch would have open wounds (where the branches rub together in the breeze), leaving it vulnerable to disease.
“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Once we are part of God’s family, our lives become entwined. We need each other for support, and to protect each other from vulnerability. We are stronger together. That’s why God calls us to live out our walks with God within the context of a church community.
The physical, spiritual and emotional turmoil we endure is felt by those who walk with us through difficult days.
The joys and triumphs we enjoy, bring joy to those around us. We weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice. (Romans 12:15)
Like the pear tree’s branches, we’re entwined in one another’s lives — to God’s glory.
