The Vine, Branches & Fruit

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We have a maracuja (passion fruit) vine growing beside our house.  Our family doesn’t always agree on the kinds of juices we like, but the maracuja is one that we all like.  And the vine and flowers are actually really pretty.

Our growing maracuja vine.

This week Josiah is learning John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  And I’ve been thinking about things….

Sometimes I wish I was the pretty flower…you know, the missionary that is in the tribe that can write home and say ‘today 20 tribal people got saved!’.  Everyone sees that as ‘beautiful’ (and rightly so!).

Maracuja flower
But I don’t get to say that.  I’m the missionary that works at a boarding school for MKs.  And not only that, but most of my work is ‘behind the scenes’ kind of stuff….office work, buying food & supplies, taking care of the dentist that comes out to the school and other random (but needed) things.  Not at all glamorous.  So sometimes I feel like I’m just one of the very small branches that goes unnoticed. 
 
Small branches on the maracuja vine
And sometimes it’s tempting to try to make our ministry more glamorous.  But that’s not what God has called us to.  He just wants us to obey and give Him glory.  So I do my best.  I make mistakes all the time, but I know I’m forgiven.  Then I try again.  And you know what?  There’s fruit.  Fruit in my life and fruit from this ministry that isn’t the ‘flower.’  Most of the foreign missionaries that are in Brazil (tribal or otherwise), are MKs that lived and grew up here at PQQ.  Not all of them, but a good number.  This school, the people who minister here…it has a purpose.  And I feel blessed to be even a small part of it.
Maracuja fruit

P.S. I know a flower is not a fruit and is not mentioned in Scripture, but somehow this verse and seeing this plant right outside my house had an impact on me. I realize that the ‘fruit’ is what would be produced in both cases.  But I wanted to use the flower for the point of sometimes some fruits are seen as more important/beautiful.  Anyway, I just wanted to share what I was thinking. 🙂  Have a lovely day in the Lord!