The Vine and the Branches

When two 35-year-old, 80-foot pine trees fell on our home in southern Mississippi during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the damage was considerable but certainly not unique.
Many suffered devastating damage to property and life. What was unique, however, was the fact that the falling frees were slowed by wisteria vines that had grown around the base of each tree and fully surrounded it almost to its top with their twisting, turning branches. As a result of their powerful "embrace," the pine trees fell in what seemed to be slow motion with the strong flowery vines buffering their tremendous weight. Was it this power and strength that Jesus had in mind when he declared, "I am the vine, you are the branches"?
The vine was an image with which his contemporaries would have been quite familiar. The twisted branches of a growing vine exhibit formidable strength. Each branch begins as a delicate, slender, pale-green tendril that reaches out to attach itself to a wall or trellis. Within just a short time, that tendril can be pulled from its place of mooring only with difficulty; it has taken hold, and, as it draws its life from the gnarled vine that has sent it forth, it begins to grow. With its growth comes a hardening unto permanence such that the tendril begins to resemble the vine from which it came. As it grows, it fastens itself to other tendrils that have also grown into branches and these form a living network of life and strength that will eventually bear much good fruit.
With this rich image to inspire their efforts for the Gospel, the Johannine Jesus sent his disciples into the great vineyard of humankind. He reminded them that apart from him, the true vine, they would be able to do nothing. If they remained in him and allowed the word that he spoke to remain in them, their ministry would be abundant.
Although Paul and Barnabas (Acts) predated the final draft of the Johannine Gospel, their efforts on behalf of the Gospel were reflective of its sound mission. When Paul first arrived on the scene after his Damascus experience, however, the believers in Jerusalem did not recognize him as part of the true vine and one of their own. His reputation had preceded him, and out of fear and suspicion, they held him at a distance. Only with the support of Barnabas, whom they trusted, did Paul gain a somewhat tenuous acceptance by the community. Even then, they disagreed among themselves, and Paul had to flee for his life. Nevertheless, despite its disagreements and struggles, the church, the one true vine, "was being built up and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers."
This juxtaposition of problems with progress has always characterized the community of believers. As distrusting of one another as we may be, we have a shared source of unity - the one true vine enlivened by the one Holy Spirit, who continues to breathe purpose and relevance into its wizened, twisted branches. There will always be Pauls among us to challenge and irk and enlighten, just as there will be Barnabases to ease us though conflicts and mediate peace. We, for our part, are to respect all the other branches with whom we form the one vine that is Christ.