I love Rick Warren. But when he said, “Even a broken branch can bear fruit,” I had to step back and think on that a while. In John 15:1-4, Jesus is clear.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener…Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
So how can a broken branch bear fruit? Good question.
Picture a vine with me. A branch is twisted all around the vine. It’s hard to see where the branch begins and ends. What you can see are the marks, cuts and even broken places in the branch. The only thing that keeps the branch alive is the Vine.
This picture reminded me about my own life. I have many broken places. But when I stay connected to the Vine, He strengthens me so that I may bear fruit—even though my brokenness.
The same is true of Matthew. He was broken. He had mental illness, and yet, he bore much fruit.
If you’ve heard Rick talk about his son’s death, you know that many lives were forever changed. God used a broken branch to change thousands of lives. That’s good fruit.
Likewise, when I lost my spouse, the same thing occurred. Many lives were saved. Still to this day, as I share my story through brokenness, lives are being changed.
We’re all broken in one place or another. When we stay connected to the Vine, we can still bear much fruit for kingdom purposes.
As Rick puts it, even a broken branch can bear fruit.
What kind of fruit are you bearing in your brokenness?
Love this!! I had never thought of it this way!! Truly gives us all hope- promise, rather- that with, through HIM, all things ARE possible!! Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
Great words Micca! Rick’s words made me pause as well and then a picture was brought to mind. This summer our best apple tree was struck by lightening…a big branch broke off (but not completely) near the base of the tree. As we harvested apples this month, my 10 year old was amazed that the apples were good even on the branch that was broken, nearly cut off and laying on the ground. Broken branches in nature certainly can bear fruit, we observed that, and as I reflect on my life, it’s clear God can use my brokeness to bear fruit as well. Thank you for reminding me of this today!!
Micca, for those who are broken…broken hearted as well, this gives all hope…that even in our brokenness, we can and will bear fruit as we wait on the Lord…for healing.
As a bereaved parent myself, I know without a doubt that GOD can and will use our brokenness, if we will but allow Him. My son took his own life, too. I was lost in a sea of overwhelming pain for some time, but over the past 22 years, I have grown to see my loss as a blessing. Because of what happened to me, I am now able to help others like me. I am a facilitator in a nationally recognized support group, and every time I hold the hand of a grieving parent, or listen to them talk about their child, or one of hundreds of other little things that are oh, so important to the bereaved, I am reminded that this is GOD working though me…comforting them, offering hope that they will get through this. It is not in my own strength that I can do this, or have this kind of compassion, but rather because of the Holy Spirit that dwells within me. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
I just heard this phrase last night and I couldn’t believe how profound it is. It really touched my heart. I never thought of a broken branch bearing fruit.