What do Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others have in common? They are all designed to help us stay connected. These platforms enable us to interact with family, friends, former classmates, and even meet new people. While these platforms invite us to connect, do you struggle with accepting new friend requests, especially if you don’t know the person? In all honesty, I know I do. The simple reason is that it’s important who you’re connected to. Yes, I want to stay connected, but to who is important. So, who are you connected to?
The Story: John 15:1-17
In John 15:1-17, Jesus gave a parable about the vine and the branches. He explained that He is the vine and God is the vinedresser. While God is the one who prunes so we bear more fruit, connection to Jesus is the only way to produce any fruit.
Since Jesus is the vine, those connected to Him are the branches. As followers, we are branches when we accept Him as Lord. The connection enables us to produce fruit. By staying connected to Jesus, we can accomplish anything. As branches, we’re His disciples and bring glory to God.
As a result of our connection, we have the love of Jesus and the Father. Our reflection of our love back to them is our obedience to what God says. Because of our reciprocal love relationship, we’re no longer slaves but friends. Our connection with Jesus began because He first loved us and continues to do so. As followers, we’re to follow His example by loving one another.
The Lesson
These verses highlight the need to stay together. However, our connection shouldn’t be with just anybody. The verses give us a guide on our connection. First, our connection begins with Jesus. We start our relationship by accepting Him as the Son of God. It also confirms that He was born, died, and raised from the dead on the third day. In addition, we acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. Our acceptance of Jesus connects us to Him as the vine and we as the branches. Therefore, He’s our first connection.
Second, our connection with each other is important. Relationships with people are challenging at times to navigate. We all have moments when we need to evaluate our relationships. When we change, an assessment of our connections is essential. As we consider if we should stay connected, there are questions to consider:
- Do those around you bring out the best in you?
- Does your network challenge you to be better?
- How do you feel after an interaction with your circle?
- How have you and those close to you weathered the storm?
- Is your circle building up or bringing you down?
These questions help us assess those around us because connection matters. Furthermore, love should be the foundation of all relationships. When we have love, we navigate the ups and downs and stand strong.
So, watch your relationships and stay connected to the right one.
