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「凡結果子的，祂就修理乾淨，使枝子結果子更多。」（聖經約翰福音十五章 2 節）
有一個神的孩子，正希奇像她這樣愛主的信徒，為什麼神還要使她落在百般的試煉中呢？
有一次，她走過一個葡萄園，看見裡邊有很多的葡萄藤，枝子很多，葉子茂盛，可是再仔細一看，葉子上都是一個個蛀孔，藤上生了很多的蟲蟻，四周長了無數的雜草，地上堆了很多的落葉，顯然是一個完全沒有人經營的荒園。
當她站著沉思的時侯，神就光照她，給她看見一段很寶貝的信息：
「我所愛的孩子啊，你是不是在希奇你一生的遭遇呢？你看這個葡萄園，從其中學習一門課程吧！園丁不替它修剪不結果的枝子，不摘去不需要的葉子，不除去害蟲和雜草，他隨它去；所以在這成熟的時候，葡萄一顆也沒有。你要不要我停止修理你的生命呢？你要不要我把你放在一邊呢？」
她的心受了安慰，大聲說道：「不！不！」── 狄克生（Homera Homer-Dixon）
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“And every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2.)
A CHILD of God was dazed by the variety of afflictions which seemed to make her their target. Walking past a vineyard in the rich autumnal glow she noticed the untrimmed appearance and the luxuriant wealth of leaves on the vines, that the ground was given over to a tangle of weeds and grass, and that the whole place looked utterly uncared for; and as she pondered, the Heavenly Gardener whispered so precious a message that she would fain pass it on:
“My dear child, are you wondering at the sequence of trials in your life? Behold that vineyard and learn of it. The gardener ceases to prune, to trim, to harrow, or to pluck the ripe fruit only when he expects nothing more from the vine during that season. It is left to itself, because the season of fruit is past and further effort for the present would yield no profit. Comparative uselessness is the condition of freedom from suffering. Do you then wish me to cease pruning your life? Shall I leave you alone?” And the comforted heart cried, “No!” --- Homera Homer-Dixon.
It is the branch that bears the fruit, That feels the knife, To prune it for a larger growth, A fuller life.
Though every budding twing be lopped, And every grace Of swaying tendril, springing leaf, Be lost a space.
O thou whose life of joy seems reft, Of beauty shorn; Whose aspirations lie in dust, All bruised and torn,
Bejoice, tho’ each desire, each dream, Each hope of thine Shall fall and fade; it is the hand Of Love Divine
That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks With tenderest touch, That thou, whose life has borne some fruit May’st now bear much. --- Annie Johnson Flint.
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