The Bramble

Come out with me to the raspberry patch today. The tall canes have grown thick and it is time to cut them back for the winter. Grab those pruners, and come along.

The south wall of the garden is perfect for growing raspberries, but other things like to grow there, too. As we cut out the old canes we must watch for invaders. Do you see that strong vine climbing up the wall? That is a blackberry bramble. We must get rid of it. Why? You ask. It looks nice growing there and blackberries are good to eat. But this is a wild vine and it will soon take over the raspberry patch. Use your pruners and be careful; it has sharp thorns.

Snip! Snip! The proud vine is pulled off the wall. There, I have cut it down and it won’t bother our raspberries again! you say. You must not know brambles. Cutting it down is not enough—we must now get out our shovels and dig out the root or it will grow back. But I don’t like to dig, you say. If we don’t dig it out, the bramble will come up again. Its roots will grow thicker and its vines will spring up all along the wall. We must get the shovel and dig it out before it has a chance to get bigger.

Did you know that there are brambles that want to grow in your “heart garden,” too? Maybe you like to tell others what to do all the time. First it might look like a good idea, but you really are causing trouble when you worry about everyone else. “Stop bossing me around!” they complain. “Fine!” you say. “I’ll won’t say anything any more!” But deep down inside you still feel pushy and bossy. Soon the “bossy” bramble grows up again. If you ask God to work in your heart, He can get rid of the bramble. What do you think your heart Gardener will do? That’s right, He will dig out the root of the problem so good fruit can grow in your life. Will you let God get out His shovel?