The Fruitful Life Found in Abiding in Jesus

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5 

There’s nothing like picking berries ripened on the vine. I remember the long, generous days of June as a child. My sisters and I would soak in the sunlight as we filled baskets with vibrant strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Some got baked into pies, others turned into preserves. But the cream of the crop were too luscious to resist… so we’d eat them right there on the spot, with smiling faces and juice dripping down our fingers.

It doesn’t take a farmer to recognize a healthy plant in the berry patch. Any child can lead you to the thriving stem with its tantalizing fruit. And the same is true of the grapevine Jesus talks about in John 15—if I am a branch growing from His vine, I want to be heavy with fruit, bursting with life and flavor!

But how, you might ask, does a branch become fruitful?  

The world gives one answer. You can make it on your own! To succeed, you must strive, strain, and prove yourself. Compete to be the best… outdo your peers in ministry, home life, or physical appearance. Whatever the cost, you must make sure you stand out above the crowd.

What a recipe for exhaustion—picture a dry branch with curled yellow leaves and not even one pale grape to offer. If you feel like this beleaguered branch today, Jesus the Vinedresser is here to revive your withering heart by offering a different way: Himself!

When Jesus says, “I am the true vine,” He declares that life with God flows through Him alone.  

Jesus is not merely pointing to the divine source of life. He is the Divine Source. If you feel tired or stretched thin, He is your relief. God’s work does not depend on your strength or mine, but on our position in Christ. When we abide in Him, His life flows through us, even when progress feels slow.

Think of it this way: fruitfulness is the result of connection, not striving. A branch does not strain to bear fruit. It remains rooted in the vine. Life flows quietly and steadily, and fruit appears over time.

As we make the daily choice to dwell on the promises of God and seek the sweet company of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, a miraculous thing happens… 

An abundance of fruit overflows, just like Jesus assures in John 15:8. That fruit brings glory to our Father, and spiritual encouragement to people, near and far. In the hands of your great Vinedresser, fruit flows from you, sending joy, hope, and strength in Jesus Christ to people with disabilities around the world who live outside the vineyard.