David Bahn – Reflections

When I was a Boy Scout we employed the buddy system whenever we went swimming at summer camp. Each scout had a buddy – a fellow scout – and you would look for each other on occasion as you swam in the lake. They had it down to a science: every so often the leader would blow his whistle and yell, “Buddy Check!” We would all go to our buddy and hold each others’ hand high. We never lost a scout to drowning, in good part to the buddy system.

John 15:1-11

[Jesus says,] ¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

In our walk with Christ we must not think we can go it alone. We need a buddy. We need someone who will hold us up in prayer, who will check to see that we’re doing well, who will look for us on occasion, who will check in with us when summoned.

While it is essential that we be connected to the True Vine, Jesus Christ, we are branches of the vine. Jesus speaks of individuals abiding in him in verse 5: “he it is that bears much fruit.” But in that same verse Jesus says, “apart from me you can do nothing.” The “you” in the last part of verse 5 is plural. A more enlightening translation of the last half of that verse would read, “apart from me you all (or “y’all” for my Texas friends) can do nothing.

Jesus reminds us here that unless we all are connected to him we – no matter how many buddies (FB friends?!?) we may have – we will bear no fruit. We will not glorify the Father unless we are connected to the true vine, Jesus Christ.

We need buddies; indeed we do. We need brothers and sisters in Christ. We need others to check in on us to see how we’re doing, to hold us accountable, and hold us up in prayer. We need to remind our buddies, however, that unless we’re connected to Jesus our best efforts will fail to bear fruit; we will be thrown away like a branch that is thrown into the fire and burned. Connected to Jesus, however, we will flourish: Our prayers will be answered; The Father will be glorified; We will be filled with joy. Wanna be my buddy?