Love, Connection, Relationships

Not without effort.

This is a beautiful passage. Sometimes we respond to the illustration of pruning and consider how it hurts to cut things off. That’s true. But today, consider first the beauty of the relationship Jesus is drawing here, especially when you connect the two paragraphs.

Relationship does take work. Boundaries and understandings are a necessity. The fruits of relationship are wonderful - love, joy, connection, pleasure, etc. But they do not come without work and sacrifice.

No one has greater love than…

Let’s be clear that Jesus is not talking about military service here (though any and all are welcome to live into the sacrificial love of Jesus in any setting, in any context, in any vocation, in any relationship). But Jesus is talking about the sacrifice that comes with love and friendship.

Speaking of love, it is so inherently and necessarily present in John’s gospel. If you have the time, you should read the totality of John 11-17 in one sitting and just note the centrality of love.

John 15:1-17

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already trimmed because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch can’t produce fruit by itself, but must remain in the vine. Likewise, you can’t produce fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything. If you don’t remain in me, you will be like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Those branches are gathered up, thrown into a fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples.

“As the Father loved me, I too have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy will be in you and your joy will be complete. This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I don’t call you servants any longer, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you. You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you could go and produce fruit and so that your fruit could last. As a result, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. I give you these commandments so that you can love each other.

Prayer

God,

Sometimes it seems we just don’t want to put in the effort necessary to truly have loving relationships. We want all the results with none of the work. It can be really hard to overcome the things that have hurt us in the past. And so even envisioning love is so difficult that we give up before we begin.

Lord, give us the fortitude to journey toward love. Give us the grace of early successes as boons toward further growth. Help me to trust. Help me to trust others. Help me to trust you in that your love and grace are enough for me and for others and for others and me together in relationship.

We have so much evidence that is otherwise in this world, contrary to what you have laid out in Jesus. So give us vision. And then give us fortitude to see it through.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.