The Undriven Life—The Christian Difference, Part 7 by Carolyn Cote

 

The following-life is so different from the driven-life that it’s difficult to overstate. It can’t be said that they are true opposites because it’s not a perceivable difference, say, like black and white or cold and hot. Following vs. driven is determined by where what we do originates or how what we do is sourced. How is what you do sourced? Where does what you do come from? And what drives you to measure up to that?

For instance, say you want to buy an orange tree for your yard. You go to the gardening center and you are told that you have two choices: orange trees with fruit coming forth naturally from the branches or orange trees which someone has hung oranges on—like you would Christmas ornaments. They look very similar but the former is what happens naturally in a tree with branches fed by soil, water and sun. The same is true in a Christ-following life; fruit is the natural byproduct.

I’m afraid the other tree, the one with oranges hung on, defines the driven-life. Fruit becomes the goal even if it must be hung on artificially and won’t last. This is what the Law does; it drives us. It can’t be fulfilled by us naturally so to fulfill it, we must make good by an artificial work—like hanging oranges on an orange tree.

So what is the goal of a following-life if NOT doing visible fruit? In John 15:1-8, Christ explains.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Remain in the vine and even your pruning is taken care of without an intentional worry!

Here is the contrast: you can appear to bear fruit and be outside of the vine but you can not be in the vine (Christ) and not bring forth fruit.

Remaining, abiding, defines the undriven-life.

When I began Bethesda Pregnancy Services, I set the goals, I set the plans to achieve the goals and I carried out those plans all of which I did outside of the vine.