The Little Foxes That Spoil the Vine - Part 3
The Control of
Weeds
The keeper of the vineyard also has
to keep a watchful eye for those weeds, thistles, nettles, briars, and scrub
trees that will exploit his soil. These
kinds of things take the plant food and the water and consume them at the
expense of the vines. All of these
things have to be entirely removed from the vineyard or else. Cultivation is the most effective way to
accomplish this as it stirs the soil and shaves off the roots just below the
surface of the ground. Cultivation also
works as a deterrent against various forms of fungus and bacteria that will
deform the vines.
In the parable of the soils, we are
told that some of the seed fell to the ground among the thorns (Mark 4:7,
18-19). We are told that the thorns are
the cares of this world. It is those
worries about secular things instead of the sacred things. Some of the cares of this life are the
necessary things that relate to our survival on the earth. Food, clothing, work and other matters are
involved in these things. We have
certain responsibilities that are given to us and really at their core they
could be considered gifts from God.
Food, clothing, and even work are gifts of God that He has given to us
to help us to function in life. However
the great deception from the devil is for us to turn those gifts into
idols. They become idols to us when they
are all consuming to the extent that God is entirely squeezed out of the
picture in our material pursuits of them.
This is when the weeds will begin to rage out of control.
The cares of this life soon become
what we are desperate to attain to because they can bring affluence in this
world and attention from those who are around us. The capture of these things can bring elements
of pride, ambition, control, and self-gratification that lead to us thinking of
much higher than what we really are.
Soon these very cares of life choke out all of our spiritual life to the
degree that we may not even recognize it.
The other definition of the thorns
was noted as the deceitfulness of riches.
Jesus noted to His disciples that it would be easier for a camel to go
through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to make it to heaven (Matthew
19:24; Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25). Some have
attempted to say this meant that there was a small entry way into the walls of
Jerusalem so that the man who had a heavy laden camel could not make it
through. The camel would supposedly
kneel on his knees and crawl through the passageway but could not make it
through with all of the saddles and goods attached. No where can this be documented with accuracy
and has to be confined as to one of the fancies that men have sometimes
attempted to construct concerning Scripture.
I believe that this Scriptural reference is to be taken literally.
Riches may be a blessing to some but
to the vast majority they are a detriment toward salvation. Money can purchase a lot of things in this
life but it can never purchase peace of mind, contentment of heart, and a host
of spiritual virtues. In fact, the mad
pursuit of wealth often destroys the spiritual virtues that we so desperately
need to live for God.
Money may even cause us to distrust
the providence of God and the way that He moves about in our lives. There are times where the pursuit of wealth
may cause one to violate the most basic of Christian principles as we have been
made well aware of in our own community in the last couple of years. The pursuit of money creates a vacuum of
greed that gives in vain desires, unreasonable expectations, and maddening
exertions of the will. The pursuit of
money also predisposes us to covetousness which is a sin. Just from these few examples it is easy to
see how the weeds can choke out the work of the Word and Spirit in our
hearts.
Robert Burns, the famous poet,
occasionally had times of serious reflection of the state of his soul. He recorded one of those times when he
compared himself to the review of his past life. He wrote that he was like a lonely man
walking amidst the ruins of a vast and noble temple. The walls were strewn about and the pillars
were cast askew. The elaborate marble
floors were cracked and between the cracks and around the whole building were
choking, horrific weeds. He was in great
alarm because he saw this as the picture of his own life.
In a very troubled state of mind, he
sought out one of the popular ministers in his city. When he told him of his dream and how
troubled he was about it, the society minister laughed and told him not to
worry with such matters. All is well, so
he said! He urged him to continue to
dance at the balls, drown himself in the bowls of wine, and fly from these
phantoms of his soul into the arms of pleasure.
It was pleasant but fatal advice for Burns because he followed it and
the “lusts of other things” entering into his heart choked out the Word.
Thomas
Brooks—The snow covers many a dunghill, and so doth prosperity many a
rotten heart. It is easy to wade in a
warm bath, and every bird can sing on a sunshiny day.
Thomas
Brooks—You gaze on my purple robe and golden crown, but did you know
what cares are under it, you would not take it up from the ground to have
it.
Pruning Is
Necessary
The keeper of the vineyard also is
aware that pruning is a very necessary task that has to be carried out. Pruning is the removal of any branches or
shoots to promote the overall health of the vine. There are a number of reasons that pruning
needs to take place. There are some
varieties of vines that need to be pruned immediately after the harvest in
order to avoid having to work around the dead branches in the new season.
Pruning of these dead branches
eliminates the disease spots or lesions that may have grown during a period of
productivity. The wise keeper knows that
he should burn the pruned branches for the most effective elimination of any
parasite, lesion, or disease.
Pruning is also very effective in
shaping the plant and causing new growth to be stimulated. It can help branches be more easily accessed
by the harvester. It is particularly important
with a vineyard of grapes that pruning take place so that the vines are not
destroyed because of the weight of the yield.
Additionally the keeper knows that if he does not prune some
fruit-bearing branches that the overall quality of the grapes will be very
limited.
Pruning is both stimulating and
dwarfing to the plant. The plant is
dwarfed because it has been greatly reduced in size. However, the stimulating process sets in
almost immediately as the vine starts a rapid growth process that will
strengthen it. Above the ground the
plant may be dwarfed but below the ground the root system goes to work at
expanding so that there is more water and nutrients available to vine as it
bears a higher quality of fruit.
The pruning of the soul often comes
in the form of divine chastisement. I
trust that all of us at some point come under the favor of God’s
chastisement. There is nothing that
promotes spiritual growth and maturity like the chastening hand of God.
Hebrews
12:5-11 KJV And ye have forgotten the
exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [6] For
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [7] If
ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he
whom the father chasteneth not? [8]
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are
ye bastards, and not sons. [9]
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us,
and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection
unto the Father of spirits, and live? [10]
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own
pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of
his holiness. [11] Now no chastening for
the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby.
We are pruned by the hand of God for
a variety of reasons:
- Sinful habits that lead us into spiritual hardness;
- Carnality that rules us; Detours into worldliness;
- Stubbornness of spirit; and passions that get out of control.
Our reaction to His hand says much about the
maturity and motives of our soul.
- We should not despise or faint under the chastisements of the Lord.
- We should not have contempt for the path we walk through during God’s work on our soul.
- If we have contempt for the pruning we will not gain any improvement from them.
- If we have contempt for the pruning it very well can open us up to even greater evils.
- It should develop in us a sense of humility and grace that will help us assist others in their time of need.
- It should cause us to develop habits of deep soul searching as to the cause for the chastisement.
- Be careful not to despise the chastening of the Lord by murmuring at it.
- Be careful not to despise the chastening by claiming that there is no use in it.
- Be careful not to despise the chastening of the Lord by thinking God is insulting us by the form it takes.
- Be careful not to despise the chastening of the Lord by not adapting and changing because of it.
- Be careful not to despise the chastening of the Lord by being extremely judgmental toward those who are undergoing the chastening work of God.
- Be careful that you do not faint by simply giving up during the process of God’s correction.
- Be careful that you do not faint by doubting you are a child of God in the time of correction.
- Be careful that you do not faint by thinking you will never come out of the trouble.
All of these things are working in
our behalf to save us.
John
15:2-4 KJV Every branch in me that
beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit,
he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I
have spoken unto you. [4]
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
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