Another Wise Saying That Isn't True

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

This saying is close to "don't mess with success."

In John 15.1 Jesus says that He is the vine and God is the gardener. In verse 2, Jesus says that God cuts off every branch in Jesus that bears no fruit...

The next sentence addresses those branches in Christ that do produce fruit. It stands to reason that if the wise saying above were true then the productive branches would be left alone. However, we find out that this is not the case for the productive branches. Instead as Jesus continues in at the end of verse 2, "...while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

Pruning or cleansing, as some versions say, not only does not sound like leaving things alone as long as they are working, but it also does not sound pain free. Those who are fruitful in Christ are given attention by God so that their lives will become even MORE productive. I am reminded of the trees I have seen in orchards. Those trees do not look normal and they aren't because they are specially and specifically pruned to be as productive as they can possibly be.

"If it ain't broke, maintain it or enhance it." is what I believe God's attitude is toward our lives and is what our own attitudes need to be toward our own service in the kingdom.