Netflix, Wine & Jesus
So, last night was a typical summer Tuesday night filled with a volley game (we lost, shocker) and a Netflix doco (that’s millennial vernacular for a documentary.) Eric and I chose a film that was a spin-off of the movie “Somm” which is about “four wine stewards preparing to take the Master Sommelier Exam, one of the world’s most difficult tests, presided over by the notoriously secretive Court of Master Sommeliers.” So, this new film was a detailed account of 10 facets to knowing all things wine. As I intently watched and happily drank up the knowledge this film was pouring into my intellect, I began to do what I always do: make an allegoric analogy to how what I am watching relates to Christ, duh.
Consequently, one of the first subjects the film taught was about the ‘vine.’ Like human nature and human beings, the vine is a contumacious living body. On its own, without support or guidance, vines will grow up trees, bushes or anything around it. We can all bring to account the image of an old French chateau with vines growing up its stone walls. It is a beautiful picture to see vines lose control and engulf whatever thing is in sight. But on the contrary, if not tamed or nurtured, the vine can end up killing other plants, destroying its self in the process and most importantly, defeating its purpose: producing fruit. Are you beginning to see where I am taking this ship?
The vine needs to have guidance, support, aid and assistance in order to fulfill its purpose; to produce good fruit. This is why you can’t even begin the process of wine making without a trellis. It is like the canvas to the painter and the pen to the writer; there would be no painting without a canvas and no book without pen and worst of all, no WINE without a trellis. Similarly, there is no Deanna Brooks without Christ. He is my trellis; my guidance, support, aid and assistance in fulfilling my purpose. Without Christ in my life, I too, like the vine, lose all control and let my own will take over areas where I have no business being. The result of living your life this way leads to destroying things (blessings) in your path and ultimately, death.
I am very well aware of John 15 (When Jesus famously states “I am the vine and you are the branches”), but this isn’t where Jesus took me last night. Jesus had a word for me and I want to share that word with you. Are the vines in the different areas of your life grounded and growing on a trellis, producing good fruit? Or are they growing out of control, increasing and looking pretty, but growing without a purpose?
Needless to say, my little relaxing night watching Netflix turned into Conviction Fest and I had a front row seat. It was a good reminded to survey my heart, and clean up shop.
