You are a Beautiful Green Leaf on the Vine

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. (Proverbs 11:28, ESV)

For Insight

It is a story we know well. How the serpent approached Eve in the Garden of Eden and convinced her to branch out on her own understanding and end up disobeying God, eating from the tree of good and evil. Once sin entered everything changed, even nature. Paul wrote about this in Romans,

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:22,23)

That means the grass grows but it also turns brown. Whereas before it was only green and rich. The flowers continue to bloom but they also wither and die. The beautiful blue waters continue to flow to but they also become filled with algae and at times are undrinkable. Decaying matter causes gnats, pesky insects to invade our spaces, trees grow and leaves appear, but the once green and healthy leaves turn brown, and fall away leaving the trees bare at season’s end. Before sin there was only life but now, both life and death are part of nature and normal environment.

Until the day God calls an end to all earthly life there will continue to be environmental issues, climate change, brutal winters, steamy summers, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and natural shifting of the earth’s atmosphere. We don’t take these lightly but can know the earth is also groaning until the day of Christ return.

Solomon said those who trust God instead of in their riches, abilities, and earthly status will be like a green leaf. That same analogy Jeremiah wrote when he said, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jer. 17:7-8)

In Christ we are alive. When we make our home in him, put our faith in him, accept his outstretched hand to hold ours, give our heart and commit our life to him, our leaves never turn brown and die. They are green and vibrant.

It was the enemy’s intent to bring death. He knew what he was doing when he approached Eve and what he continues to try today as he tempts and steals. But he did not know that not even death could stop God, not even death could overcome or stop the Living Water from flowing and Living Vine from producing. More than anything Satan did not know and still cannot manage to grasp that those who find life in the true Vine, Jesus Christ, are not withered leaves, drying up and falling away, but are green to the end.

As a green leaf in Jesus you have no fear of challenges, you can survive suffering, endure trials, you are healed through Jesus, productive, a producer of other branches through your witness of Christ, strong, equipped, wise, a gospel-good-news spreader and a love sharer. Jesus could not be stopped, and neither can you.   

Lord, let me experience the fullness of life you provide in the Vine. I’m not part of a dying vine but the living Lord who has conquered death and has all power. I am a green life on your Vine. Amen

Ask Yourself

Am I a green Leaf on Jesus’ Vine? Why or why not? How “green” is your leaf?

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