“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?" -- Ezekiel 15:2

The taunting to be strong and great like those around us is always difficult to deal with. The temptation to strive toward being something other than what God intended is great. Israel failed in this test and made every effort to be greater than the other nations by being like those nations. She forgot to be spiritually fruitful for God.

Believers are called to be the very same as Israel. We are not expected to surpass other trees around us in strength and stature. We have been called to be fruit bearing vine branches. Jesus put it this way in John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Remember what you are my friend. We are branches, not trees, and we are sent forth to bear fruit as we abide in the vine. As with Israel, so with us... "If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned." (John 15:6) Our worth is in our fruit, not our stature.