Pruning

An end-of-summer lesson: procrastination of pruning produces much hard work to get the shrubs thriving and under control again. Past neglect of several bushes in my yard allowed them to overgrow their spaces, "attack" the house and gutters, die in the middle from lack of light, grow above my reach, and thicken main branches so much that the branches needed to be sawed off. Sadly, the lovely rhododendrons probably won't bloom for two or three years after being so severely cut. A five-year-old granddaughter feels sorry for them because they look so naked. One more time I've promised myself faithfully that I'll cut these monsters every year.

Pruning has several beneficial effects. Severing overgrown branches gives a bush or a tree a nice shape, preventing damage to buildings and other plants. In addition, slashing deadwood leaves space for new growth and prevents the inevitable invasion of fungus, insects, and other decomposers. In fact, branches should be cut off as close to the trunk as possible to avoid having the deadwood infect the rest of the tree. Another reason for removing long branches or those that have grown sideways is to make more sunlight available to other branches so that they can grow too. When pruning is neglected a "dead spot" develops wherever the plant lacks light. Also, every time a stem is cut it grows out into two or more branches. In the case of fruit trees, grapevines, or berry vines, pruning makes more fruit-bearing branches, thus increasing productivity. Some kinds of vines will produce little or no fruit if they are not pruned properly.

People need pruning too. Our Lord tells us to cut off a hand, foot, or eye that causes us to sin. (Matt.5:30; 18:8; Mark 9:43). Every tree that fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matt. 3:10, 7:19; Luke 3:9). The Lord himself cursed a fig tree that had no fruit, even though it wasn't time for the figs. The tree withered in a few hours. (Matt. 21:20-21; Mark 11:13, 20-21). So, we not only have to get rid of overgrowth and deadwood, we also have to bear fruit.

Those bad habits that started small years ago need to make room for new branches. When life cuts us off from what we would like to do, we chafe and complain and wonder if God cares about us. In our suffering we can easily forget about our need for constant pruning. Like a Japanese Bonsai, however, even our good habits must be clipped and shaped constantly if they are to develop beautifully.

It's so easy today to let exterior activities branch far and wide, while interior life dies like the inside of an unpruned shrub. The siren calls of unnecessary shopping, incessant talking at meetings and over cell phones, TV, video, e-mail, computer games, and pleasure reading that leads us astray easily drown out the voice of God that comes to us in a whisper. (1 Kings 19:12). Bible reading and prayerful meditation allow us to hear God's whisper and to know about His plan for us. When we do things God's way we flower beautifully inside and out.

Fall is a good time to prune our bushes and ourselves. It's an opportunity to slash bad habits and time-wasting activities. It's time to practice pressing "off" buttons and leaving bargains at the shopping center. It's time to have some quiet each day for prayer and spiritual reading and to start school activities. It's time to teach the children we influence to do likewise. In the spring we'll be ready to bloom and produce much fruit.

Mary Sue Laing, M.Ed.
Resource Teacher, St. Ambrose School
newskill7@msn.com

by Mary Sue Laing, M. Ed., New Skill, Inc. Academic Tutor