Woven

These words are great for someone like me to remember. As a life-long christian words that are directed at the Jews in the New Testament are often very good reminders against becoming arrogant, overconfident or calloused to spiritual matters.

¹⁷If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." ²⁰Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
²¹For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. -Romans 11:17-21

These words are spoken as a warning to the gentiles, but the truth of the matter is that as someone who has faith, and has had faith for a long time we start to think something good is coming from us. This picture of the olive tree reminds me not to be focussed on value in me as a branch, but to look for value in him the vine.

It reminds me not to feel like I as a branch have contributed to my place as a branch, and not to assume that I have something special and unique that gives me power to control my fate.

I don't and can't take any responsibility for being grafted, and more than I can take responsibility for getting myself water or nutrients. And I must accept the place on the vine that I have inherited, and not think of my self too highly or too lowly.

The only part of me that is worth something is the part of me where I stop being only myself, and God's presence begins.


><>