Striving and Shriveled OR Abiding and Juicy?

Do you ever, sort of notice people when you are waiting in line? Friday before last, while my Honey was gone fishing for the evening with his brother, I went to the local huge *&*&*Mart. It's NOT my favorite store, but I confess, economy often lures me. I was exchanging one size of shorts for another size of the same shorts, for Honey.

It had been a very good, and very busy day. I was recovering from the flu. Truthfully, I wasn't looking or feeling too perky. However, I was by no means miserable. As I stood there awaiting my turn, I noticed everyone all around me. Since the line was fairly long, I had all the many people staggered in line ahead of me, and several workers at the counter ahead, taking care of us as we each took our turns. So there were plenty of different people to see.

I hope that as you read this, you won't consider my thoughts here as condescending, because I was moved in my heart by what I saw. To see what I saw really made me sad. No One, absolutely No One, seemed to have any joy, At. All. One was out right angry and frantic (worker). Others seemed everything from resigned to their circumstances, to despondent, hopeless, and some just aimless. I thought to myself, how some years ago, the Lord had dealt with me about my demeanor, that I should care that I looked approachable, and willing to smile, and or engage people in conversation. How can I be the fragrance of Christ among the lost, or how can I be ready to give an answer for the hope I have, if I look too miserable or anxious to have anything good to offer? You have to know that because I am such an internal sort of person, I didn't always think about how I looked, and on a busy day, that could mean I looked a little off-putting. When in reality, I may have been perfectly willing to strike up a conversation...my face just would not always give that message. Now days, I generally seem more approachable, and will always start the conversation with the cashiers. But, at this moment of observation I had to ask myself, what did I look like? I think it wasn't too bad. When I got to the counter I actually got the harried and angry clerk. It was good, because just a smile and a couple of soft comments and a sincere thank you, and she was actually able to smile herself, albeit a bit reluctantly, but a smile is a SMILE!

I thought while I was waiting, of the Jesus is the vine illustration, we are the branches, His Father as the vinedresser, from John 15. Because, at least to the obvious look, there was no abiding going on at that moment. I thought, "Lord, they look so dry, so empty, so without hope, so full of burdens and woe. Lord, if you came right now, what would they think? What would their reaction be? What would mine be?" I just don't believe that life is supposed to be like that for people. Yet, I fear many do not know that their faith is supposed to be the REASON we have hope, not just their ticket to Heaven one day. He sustains us, He wants to be our strength, carry our burdens for us, so that we can go about being His emissaries of mercy, joy, hope, love.

Just before Easter, I read a short devotional that gave me pause. It brought out the point that to abide is to dwell in, to rest in, to lean against. We often understand the part, that we are to do that in Jesus, but what captivated me this time, was the "Whooosh" of the realization that when we do that, when we rest in Him, dwell in Him, lean against Him, then HE dwells in US! He does the same thing in us, He asks us to do in Him. How amazing! How joyous, and how humbling!

I do not want to be a shriveled up branch that He is not free to flow through. I want to be attached vitally to Him, with Him flowing through me, plumping out and nourishing my fruit!

Those people were striving. There was NO rest. I want to see more people connected to the vine. More people that have wisdom to go with their smile, because they know what they know what they know!

"I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing]

He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit,

to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.
You are cleansed and pruned already,

because of the word which I have given you

[the teachings I have discussed with you].

Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.
I am the Vine; you are the branches.

Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit.

However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing...

You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you.
This is what I command you: that you love one another."

John 15:1-5, 16-17