It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. -E..E. Cummings

Who are you, really? If someone were to ask you this question, how would you answer? Identity tends to get convoluted with tasks and class systems and birth order. We tend to answer the question with an explanation of what our job is, who we are married to, how many kids we have, what habits and recreational activities we indulge in. Mostly we spend time comparing ourselves to one another, perhaps gaining the ability to actually identify with one another, but still…something is not quite right. As christians, we forget the main identifying factor; WHO ARE WE IN CHRIST? What does it mean to be a son or daughter of Christ?

“I am the Vine; you are the branches.” -John 15:5

In order to know our identity, we must look further at what a branch is and how that applies to our life with Christ. Picture a grapevine. A branch is a bit of wood, brought forth from the vine to serve the vine by bearing fruit. Bearing fruit is the job of the branch. It is of the same nature of the vine, made of the same stuff. Plants are mainly carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, so it is safe to say, the branch is a “carbon-copy” of the vine. It has one life and one spirit with it. A branch off a grapevine isn’t a plant on it’s own, dang, if it is cut off from the vine it withers and dies after a few short hours.

As believers, we have the make-up in our very being to be carbon-copies of Christ but only if we stay connected to Him. A believer has one main point in being a branch, to bear fruit, that is our purpose. But we can only bear fruit if we gather strength and nutrients from the Heavenly Vine. Happy is the heart that is surrendered to this idea of purpose. If you can truly grasp the concept of being a branch, of fully understanding that you are one in the same as the Vine but at the same time can only get your strength THROUGH the Vine, then the result is quite simple; ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS BE A BRANCH. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS! This can give us comfort and keep us humble if we grasp our purpose fully.

ARE YOU A BRANCH THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE VINE?