What a privilege it is to share a guest post from one of my favorite Christian writers (boy, how this group has expanded the past few years), Mrs. Diana Derringer. In addition to be a lover of words (a logophile), Ms. Diana’s godly heart is apparent in everything she pens. I’ve long been a fan of her weekly blog posts and keen insights and am most grateful to share this reprinted post with you today. Please extend a hearty Cross-Dubya welcome to my precious sister-in-Christ and friend, Mrs. Diana Derringer.
If Trees Could Talk
For about 20 years my husband and I enjoyed the benefits of a small orchard. Nothing satisfies quite like fresh fruit still warm from the morning sun.
However, every spring, in order to achieve maximum yield, we spent the better part of a day, or snatches from several days, pruning.
Can you imagine what those trees might have said, if they could talk, when they saw us approaching with our various sized loppers and saw in hand? With no way to flee and nowhere to hide, their future remained at our mercy.
If Trees Could Talk When Pruned
Picture with me some possible responses:
- No, no, not again! It hurts too much.
- Can’t you just leave me the way I am?
- Please, not that limb. That’s my favorite.
Nevertheless, we proceeded with the task before us.
Finally, when we believed our mission accomplished, my father inspected our work. Regardless of how drastic our actions, we had never pruned quite enough. In fact, some years I thought Dad would surely kill a tree or two by the time he added his finishing touches. They looked so bare, stripped of all but a basic outline of their former selves.
Yet, within a short time, each tree began filling out again, more beautiful than ever. Then blooms appeared … everywhere! Later, rather than scarce, knotty fruit, we harvested an abundance of large, healthy, tasty apples, pears, peaches, and cherries — enough to eat, freeze, can, and share with others.
Left to themselves, the trees’ harvest would have been minimal and poor quality. The work my husband and I did improved their potential. Yet, my father, a connoisseur of vintage fruit with years of experience, knew exactly what they needed, forcing them to produce a bumper crop of the biggest and best year after year.
If Trees Could Talk at Harvest
Now, imagine the trees’ subsequent expressions of gratitude:
- Thank you. The pain was worth it.
- I’m so grateful you didn’t leave me the way I was.
- Look at how much I produced because of the tough choices you made.
Can you see that in our spiritual lives as well?
Spiritual Pruning
When God prunes the dead weight, we often find ourselves kicking and screaming all the way. It hurts, and we don’t like it.
God also trims the less productive, making room for previously untapped capabilities to emerge. Yet, we want to hang on to the comfortable, familiar ways of our past. Nevertheless, God knows the comfortable and familiar, much like an old pair of gardening shoes, have seen their better days. They need to be replaced.
Because of God’s work, we discover previously untapped skills. We grow stronger, blossom, and bear fruit like never before. Much good comes from all that pain.
Spiritual Harvest
In all probability, we will never see the full benefit of God’s shaping our lives. Just as an apple tree remains unaware of the multitudes who enjoy its harvest, we won’t know how far our labors reach. Long after our most productive years, the seeds from our fruit will continue to multiply through harvests of their own — just as our Father, the master gardener planned.
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” John 15:2 (NIV).
About Diana
Diana Derringer, author of Beyond Bethlehem and Calvary, shares hope and joy through more than 1,100 devotions, articles, dramas, planning guides, Bible studies, and poems in 70-plus publications, including several anthologies. In addition, Diana writes radio drama for Christ to the World Ministries. Her adventures as a social worker, adjunct professor, youth Sunday school teacher, and friendship family for international university students supply a constant flow of writing ideas. For a free copy of Diana’s “Words of Hope for Days That Hurt” and her weekly Words, Wit, and Wisdom: Life Lessons from English Expressions, join her mailing list at https://dianaderringer.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and LinkedIn.
The more we allow God to prune our lives, the more good fruit we’ll produce and the greater His harvest will be. #PruningBringsGoodFruit #Dicipleship #GrowingFaith #HarvestingGoodness Share on X
Thank your for sharing your wisdom with us this week Ms. Diana.
God’s blessings everyone,
Well said and true, Diana. Thank you for this reminder that the pain of pruning always leads to the pleasure of productivity.
Thank you, Lori. I love the alliteration. Blessings as you produce good fruit for our Father.
Wasn’t this a great post Ms. Lori. I’m always so in awe of my many Christian writing friends and how God uses each of us in His service.
This concept helped me to realize that when God removes something from our lives, the process makes way for fruit to grow that would not have otherwise. Like the trees, I still can’t say I like the process. But we can trust our heavenly Father to only cut what’s necessary for our growth and fruitfulness.
I can’t say I like the process either, Barbara, but I’m so grateful God can use every circumstance for a greater purpose. Blessings.
Had those same thoughts Ms. Barbara. God’s “taking away” is actually “making room.” I like that! Still, it’s hard to let go of what we know or have, isn’t it?
I especially love the point Diana made, concerning the “reach” of our fruit-bearing. We will never know, this side of Heaven….hallelujah!
Thank you, Gena. Can you imagine the rejoicing when we get to heaven and have the opportunity to share with the many who have influenced us and we have influenced?
How true Ms. Gena. One of the things I most look forward to in heaven, beyond being with my Lord and Savior of course, is seeing the fruit of my labor for His glory. I sometimes wonder what seeds I planted that took. I won’t miss those I thought would be there but aren’t, but I pray I’m blessed to see far more fruit that I suspected I helped to bring to Christ in some small way.
Diana I love a good analogy and this was perfect. Thank you for making this truth so clear and easily understood.
Ann, thank you for your kind words. You have made my day. Blessings.
Thank you Ms. Ann. When I first read Ms. Diana’s post, I knew my friends were going to enjoy it just as much.
I enjoyed your message, Diana, especially the “conversation” of the trees. Those same words can probably be applied to us, as well. While I don’t enjoy the pruning my Father does to me at the time, I know from experience that He doesn’t make mistakes in the process. Thank you, Diana for your inspring message and J.D. for hosting. Wishing you both a blessed day and Happy Spring!
Happy Spring, Katherine! Thank you for the kind words. I don’t enjoy pruning either, but experience has taught its importance. My earthly father taught me well about trees and our loving heavenly Father.
Yes. Did you walk around this past week asking your trees, “So what do you have to say for yourself?” 😀 I did a few times. LOL
Having just pruned a plant of mine for the very first time this week, this post struck home. “Because of God’s work, we discover previously untapped skills. We grow stronger, blossom, and bear fruit like never before. Much good comes from all that pain.” Amen! He prunes our lives for our good, and for His glory! Thank you both, J.D. and Diana for this encouraging post!
Thank you, Joanne. God teaches us well with the lessons all around us if we open our eyes and hearts to them.
Absolutely! Great lesson here Ms. Joanne; just like the many you share with your readers each week ma’am.
Happy Spring, Katherine! Thank you for the kind words. I don’t enjoy pruning either, but experience has taught its importance. My earthly father taught me well about trees and our loving heavenly Father.
Lewis said God shouts through our pain. Good insights, here Diana. Thanks, JD, for sharing. God bless!
I love Lewis’s work, and that is such a powerful concept. Thank you, Nancy. Blessings.
He absolutely does Ms. Nancy; and He uses all of creation to do it. Amen my friend.
Really appreciate your pruning thoughts, Diana, and glad to connect with you here.
Thank you, Gail. I am grateful for our connection as well. Blessings on you and those God touches through you.
Thanks Ms. Gail. So glad you enjoyed ma’am. Preparing to leave the Rim soon?
Thanks to J.D. for the introduction, Diana. I really appreciate the interesting perspective you took to illustrate this vital principle. It’s clear why trees don’t prune themselves and why God didn’t leave it to us to perform this kind of operation on ourselves. We’d take one look at the uncomfortable, sometimes downright painful, pruning God wants us to do and decide that what we’re producing now is good enough. I’m blessed to get to meet you and look forward to enjoying more of your work.
I’m glad to meet you too, Ron. Thank you for the words of encouragement. You’re right about avoiding the uncomfortable and painful. Yet, we grow so much through those experiences.
Amen Mr. Ron. None of us can “prune” ourselves. Well said sir.
So nice to meet you, Diana, here at J. D.’s place. I really enjoyed your lesson on why we need to allow to prune us, even when it hurts at the time. There can be nothing better in life than bearing good fruit for Him
Blessings!
Thank you, Martha. I’m so glad to meet you as well. I appreciate your kind comments and pray we all bear good fruit in both comfortable and painful times.
Thank you Ms. Martha. You are so right ma’am. In His service!
This remarkable posts highlights the benefits of God’s pruning. I especially appreciate this section: “Now, imagine the trees’ subsequent expressions of gratitude:
Thank you. The pain was worth it.
I’m so grateful you didn’t leave me the way I was.
Look at how much I produced because of the tough choices you made.”
I hope I respond this way when I experience pruning, a necessary process in the Christian life.
Yes! How often do we take time to express our gratitude for the “pruning” God does in our lives Ms. Jeannie. What a great point ma’am. Thank you and God’s blessings.
You have voiced my prayer as well, Jeannie. Thank you for all you do in God’s service, my friend.
love this!!
Thank you, April. Your kind words have blessed my heart.
Me three Ms. April. Thank you ma’am.
So glad you and J.D. teamed up and brought this up. Wonderful thought as I have recent health issues and wondered what God is doing in me and thanks.
Ol’ papa
Terry, I pray God gives you peace and comfort during this difficult time and that you find new purpose through every hardship.
I had nothing to do with it Mr. Terry, but like you, I am ultra-blessed to know Ms. Diana and to learn through her wisdom-filled lessons of faith. Thank you sir.
Thanks for sharing Diana’s work, J.D. I recently “met” her on social media and enjoying reading her work here.
As someone who has incorporated trees in my writing, I love the beautiful analogy she draws with trees in this post.
I just knew you were going to like this post Ms. Candyce. Amen ma’am.
Thank you so much, Candyce. I just read your “Storms Make Trees Take Deeper Roots” and love it.
Nice to meet you here, Diana. Lovely post with a great spiritual lesson. I grew up eating apples warmed from the sun in my back yard. The more my dad pruned the tree, the better the crop. May I also willingly yield to the Lord’s pruning shears!
Nice to meet you too, Karen. Thank you for your encouraging words. Sounds like our dads would have made good buddies. My prayer reflects yours. May I yield to God’s pruning.
Yes. I think you are both of “Kentucky-vintage”, aren’t you? So glad you enjoyed Ms. Karen.
I love this message. God gave us the trees and many other things to nurture and love. I pray I will prune away the bad things and then, show the good things in all my actions and words.
Thank you, Melissa. I join you in praying that God ‘s pruning enables me to follow and reflect His will in all I say and do.
I’ m right there with you Ms. Mimi. Allowing God to prune us, shape us, and nurture us is all key to continuing to grow in Him, isn’t it ma’am? God’s blessings my friend.
Diana, I so enjoyed your story and the spiritual analogy! This is true however hard to swallow it may be, God also trims the less productive, making room for previously untapped capabilities to emerge.” I’ve seen that first hand in my own life. Thank you!
Karen, thank you for your kind words. Indeed, pruning can be difficult, but what a difference it makes. Blessings on all your endeavors.
Thank you for your words of encouragement, Karen. Pruning does hurt, but what a difference it makes. Blessings on all your endeavors.
If we’re honest with ourselves, I think we’ve all experienced it Ms. Karen. Some, like me, require much more pruning that others. 🙂
I love the idea of trees talking and thanking the one who pruned it. I don’t like being pruned myself. It hurts! Yet, I have learned over time the value and good it produces in my life. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Joanna. We can learn so much from God’s creation when we open our eyes and heart. Blessings on your outreach.
So glad you enjoyed the post Ms. Joanna. Thank you for joining the conversation ma’am.
What a great analogy! Thanks for sharing this relevant truth is such an engaging way. I’ll be thinking about this the next time I’m pruned.
Yes ma’am; this is sure something for us to remember Ms. Annie. Thank you ma’am.
Thank you, Annie. I pray the analogy will offer strength and encouragement for any future difficulties. Blessings.
I love the imagery in your message. It really makes it clear about the importance of pruning, whether it’s our trees or our lives. We all need it. It might be painful for a while but it will make us better people. Thanks Diana
Thank you, Yvonne, for your encouragement and precise summary. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Ms. Yvonne. Much appreciated my faithful friend.
We always want to hold on to those fleshly traits because they are so comfortable. But pruning the flesh allows productive growth while getting rid of those dead leaves we don’t need. Thanks Diana and J.D.!
Barbara, you are so right. We want the comfortable but require the pruning to grow. Blessings on your life.
Amen. We sure do Ms. Barb. And if others are like me, we want to reach out to reclaim that which God trims away.
Diana, I loved this. What a fun way to communicate these truths!
Thank you so much, Debbie. It was fun to remember as I wrote.
So glad you enjoyed this piece also Ms. Debbie. Thank you ma’am.
Chastening is an evidence of sonship.
Hebrews 12:7: “Ye endure for chastening, God conducts himself towards you as towards sons; for who is the son that the father chastens not?”.
https://dcbverse.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-father-of-spirits.html
Yessir Mr. David. There’s something comforting in knowing that God loves us enough to not leave us in our flawed state. Thank you for commenting sir.
What a beautiful explanation of physical and spiritual pruning! I’m afraid I relate to often to the kicking and screaming but pray I will bear fruit for Him like never before.
Blessings,
Tammy
Am right there with you Ms. Tammy! Thank you ma’am.
Interesting thoughts. I’ve wondered at times about what some fields have seen or what some walls have heard. What an honor to be a guest blog on this terrific site.
Thank you Ms. Karen. I wonder too what nature is crying out sometimes. It’s been a while since you guest-posted here. We should remedy that. 🙂 Miss your wisdom.