Yesterday I realized that we hadn't yet pruned the rose bush. We are quite sentimental about this rose bush - it was a wedding gift. So my husband got the shears and with our youngest daughter watching, we pruned the bush.
When we were finished, she looked at the rose bush and said: "Shame, I feel so sorry for it!" And so the door opened for a life lesson to be given.
The rose bush still looks beautiful at a glance. But if you look closely at the rose bush, you will see aphids in some places. If you check the leaves closely, you will see some spots. The rose bush is not that healthy even though we still adore its roses. It has to be pruned and sprayed in order to look gorgeous again when spring comes.
We are like the rose bush. We think we are beautiful and so do some other people. We seem so spiritual after all. Others think we are wonderful Christians. God is not fooled. God looks closer to the aphids of secret sin sitting somewhere in our lives. He sees the spots on our leaves that is evidence that our characters are not so Godly after all. We need to be pruned.
Pruning is not nice. It's sore. You know you are being pruned when you are challenged on every side and you battle to keep a Christian character. You know you are being pruned when you have to say a silent "ouch" to every sermon you hear. You know you are being pruned when every scripture you reads speak right into your heart - no matter where you open your Bible. You know you are being pruned when you are pleading with God for a change in your life and the only answer you get is "My grace is enough for you".
Don't run from the pruning. Submit to God and allow him to change your heart so that you will be even more beautiful than before. You will have an abundance of flowers and others will marvel at God's character that surrounds you like a sweet aroma.
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