My reward for such a little thing as that is the fruit that is being grown on the other side of the fence for all eternity…
When we lived in our previous home the neighbours planted a passionfruit plant on their side of the fence. They came across to our side soon afterwards to let us know that the vine was likely to grow across to our side of the fence and that we should let them know if the plant was causing us any trouble because they would be happy to remove it for us.
Of course, we were very very happy to have fresh fruit growing easily on our side fence and it was even more exciting that we did not need to do anything at all to enjoy that fruit. And we ate lots and lots and lots of passionfruit over the years as that vine grew strong and stronger and climbed the fence.
When we moved into our current home, one of the first things that we did was go out and buy some passionfruit vines so that we could grow delicious passionfruit from our new home. With great enthusiasm we planted these vines along the back of our fence and we fertilised and watered them and watched them grow.
And as we were watching them, we became a little distracted by every-day life until one day – after some time had passed, we went out to look at the vines and realised that the fruit-bearing part of the vines was entirely on the neighbour’s side of the fence and all that was left for us was the stem and no fruit at all.
And this caused me to think today. You see, those bare stems that required all the investment of time and effort and nutrients are like life here on earth. It is an awful lot of work. We are required to offer sacrifices (voluntarily and through the suffering that we are faced with in our lives) and we are uncomfortable on our journey to eternity. But just as those passionfruit stems are planted in the earth on our side of the fence and bear fruit on the neighbour’s side, so too do the sacrifices of our life generate fruits in the next life – eternity in Heaven.
And just as the bare stems are connected to the fruiting vines, so too are my earthly sacrifices connected to my eternal salvation.
And today – as I look at that vine planted in my backyard – it seems to me that I have been blessed beyond measure. Because mt Beloved has provided the soil and the vines and all I am asked to do is to plant them in the earth… And my reward for such a little thing as that is the fruit that is being grown on the other side of the fence for all eternity…
And today that seems like far far more than a miserable soul such as mine could ever deserve…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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