"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you…"

John 15:1-14

Life is not about passing tests, it is about relationships we build. Those relationships are built on our ability to cooperate with others and function as an effective team. This truth also applies to living the Christian life. We often think that spiritual maturity and success result from how much we know about biblical facts and principles. Jesus showed us that that real success comes from something else – from loving one another in the same way He loved us. He made it clear that we can do this only if we "abide" in Him. This means that we must stay close to Him through prayer and willingly obey His commands. Our web of relationships must extend first to God and then to others.

The secret of spiritual success is not just in acquiring individual knowledge – it’s in combining that knowledge with love in all our relationships.

As Christians draw close to Christ,

they draw closer to one another.

Our Daily Bread – September 29, 2004