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Someone recently asked, “Has this pandemic been a time for pruning?” Great question! Pruning is a process whereby one cuts away dead or overgrown branches to increase faithfulness and growth. The last several months of isolation, social distancing, along with much upheaval in society has certainly provided a season for us to think and reflect upon our life. What matters? What is important? What gives life? How then shall we live? What is the legacy that we want to leave behind?
Pruning can be hard work. Pruning might be that “come to Jesus” meeting with ourselves. This pandemic certainly has given us the tools for this work, that we might otherwise, delay. Pruning clears the clutter. It creates the distinction between what is important and life-giving from that which is withering, that which needs to be cut from our life.
Pruning can be hard work, but…now we can (re)focus on that which is important, non-negotiable, life-giving and then run, run full barrel in a new direction. Poet Mary Oliver puts it this way in her poem When Death Comes:
When it’s over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When its over, I don’t want to wonder
If I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,
Or full of argument.
I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.
I do not know about you, but I want to be married to amazement and to take the world into my arms. I want to do more than simply having visited this world. Yes, sometimes the clutter slows us down and throws us off course. Sometimes we exchange the important things for the trivial. If this is you, it has certainly been me, then it is time to break out the tools. If we are in a season of pruning…then I am incredibly hopeful for the season ahead.
Looking forward…
-- Pastor Marty
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