4 minute read
A BARE TREE IS NOT A BARREN ONE
By Jonathan Cho
In the Christian life, we often speak in the language of flourishing and fruitfulness – in our families, workplaces, ministries and gospel communities. We are not wrong. Jesus expresses this clearly in John 15 that His desire is for us to “bear much fruit”, even refining us to “bear more fruit”.
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Yet, it is also true that we seldom give ourselves room for those seasons where we don’t seem to be bearing any visible fruit. We wonder, “Is there something wrong with me? Is there hidden sin in my life that is preventing me from bearing fruit?”
These are good, important questions to ask. Yet if we are not careful, we could come to expect that the Christian life is only about visible fruit. Our longing to yield fruit “in season” (Psalm 1:3) must mean that we remain faithful and persevere through every season, because each one is a necessary and formative part of the pilgrim’s journey. The Lord gives us a clue from nature itself, which goes through spring, summer, fall, and winter.
I entered 2020 in eager expectation of visible fruit in three areas of my life: (1) family, with the birth of my second child and a flourishing family life; (2) work, with a growing, developing legal practice; and (3) ministry, with an expanding flock and creative, exciting plans for our young people.
Enter COVID-19.
As many would identify with, working from home with two young children in the background, while trying to ‘reconfigure’ weekly youth ministry in a virtual setting revealed more ‘weeds’ in my life than fruit.
My daily work-life rhythm was in shambles because of the circuit breaker and other restrictions. My legal practice was significantly hit by a standstill of business. Amidst other concerns, the youth and youth leaders were struggling with ‘Zoom fatigue’ and lack-lustre engagement if all activities and meetings could only be virtual.
Why do I feel I am letting people down? Why do all my efforts seem fruitless? What fruit is there if I feel I am barely surviving?
During this time, my load of roles and responsibilities was more than I could bear. It was difficult to be open with others because of my hidden, and often inaccurate, belief that I had to ‘have it all together’ precisely because of my roles.
In those desperate moments, I took my burdens to God repeatedly like David in the Psalms – carrying a depth of brokenness and honesty I had never experienced before. In those moments of solitude, reflection and a complete baring of the soul to God, I heard Him. He spoke into my wrestling and doubts with these words: ‘A bare tree is not a barren one’. And I understood immediately what He meant.
The world often expects to see fruit – outward appearance, a flourishing life and visibility is glorified in our society. But a deeper life takes place in the disciple. A tree may seem fruitful on the outside, but the true test is in its taste – which may reveal bitterness, resentment, even pride.
In order to bear long-lasting fruit, the roots have to go deep. During such a season, the tree may look bare but its inner life could be deepening in tremendous ways. The world doesn’t know because it doesn’t see. Maybe this is why we are challenged to live by faith and not by sight.
Only the strongest trees make it through winter. Their branches are bare in the biting cold but they get through. This is the process of learning to abide. Through my own winter season, I have learnt what it means to “embrace Christ” through the struggle, and experience the fruit of the Spirit that sometimes showcases itself in hiddenness rather than outward appearance.
Refinement should be expected. Jesus said that “every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). Pruning takes time and fruit does not grow overnight. There is no shortcut; just because we don’t see anything does not mean nothing is happening. The Lord is always at work. What fruit are we after?
A bare tree is not a barren tree, and he who abides in Jesus, and Jesus in him, can be assured that “he it is that bears much fruit” (John 15:5). Eternal God, lead me now out of the familiar setting of my doubts and fears, beyond my pride and my need to be secure into a strange and graceful ease with my true proportions and with yours; that in boundless silence I may grow strong enough to endure and flexible enough to share your grace.
- Ted Loder
