Pruning the Apple Tree

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 18:9-14 ESV

To my imagination, cultivated apple trees look like baby monsters sneaking across the orchard.

In MY backyard, we have cultivated an apple tree that stands straight and tall and dignified.  The fruit it bears is so high and far away that we’d need a bucket truck to reach it!

Recently, and independently, two friends who know something about apple trees took a look at ours and called it WEAK.  Weak!  An apple tree is weak when it is left to grow straight and tall.  It needs to be pruned until it looks like a baby monster in order to grow strong and bear lots of fruit.

Our poor tree has some Isaiah 10:33 coming.  It reminds me of what happens when pride directs the pruning, rather than humility.

Behold, the Lord God of hosts

will lop the boughs with terrifying power;

the great in height will be hewn down,

and the lofty will be brought low.  Isaiah 10:33  NIV

UNLIKE the tree in my yard, I have a choice; be pruned and be strong, or be prideful and be weak.  God is delighted to make me abundantly fruitful, but I will need to be made low in stature.  My natural preference tends to veer toward the tall and stately; my soul wants the pruning.  

LIKE the tree in my backyard, I need CONSTANT pruning.  The minute I turn my back that tree has sprouted another branch racing skyward; God help me (literally) should I make peace with my pride!  It’s going to take lots more time and effort to prune the apple tree now that we’ve let it go so long; same if I don’t let God do NOW what needs to be done in me.

Beverly

Many thanks to Diane Romlein, who took the photo of the apple trees (in HER yard) that have been properly pruned.