During my time as a pastor, there have been many instances where I was responsible for raising funds to help offset the cost of mission trips or other church-related activities.
One of the more common methods of raising support was to essentially hire the youth and young adults of the church out to members of the community to do odd jobs. Some jobs were odder than others, but the oddest job I ever experienced involved saving a vine.
One Sunday, a kind gentleman from the church approached me and asked if the students and I would be interested in helping him replace a fence on his property. We were only weeks out from our summer mission trip, and several students were still short the amount needed, and this gentleman graciously agreed to cover the entire remaining balance, so we quickly agreed. We agreed to meet at his property the next Saturday to do the work.
When we arrived that morning, the man walked us out to show us the fence that we would be replacing. Running along the entire length of the top of the fence was a thick vine. The gentleman informed us that this vine was a “wild grapevine” that had been growing on the fence for years.
The man went on to tell us that he loved eating the grapes this vine produced and wanted to save the vine and attach it to the new fence. We were being paid quite a sum of money, so I agreed.
All day long, we dug up fence posts, removed existing hardware and fencing and replaced it with brand-new, more robust fencing. And all day long, my team and I carefully lifted the vine off of the old fence, held it on our shoulders until the new fence was in place and then carefully placed it atop the new fence.
As we concluded our work, my curiosity about this wild grapevine overcame me. Smartphones had just emerged in the world, so I did a quick search on my BlackBerry. To my horror, I discovered that this “wild grape vine” was in fact poisonous to the touch.
By the next morning, several of the members of my team were covered in rashes. That year, our mission trip was made possible by a kind gentleman and prednisone.
Truthfully, I had been suspicious of this wild grapevine from the outset. I am very sensitive to the effect of poisonous plants of all kinds. This kind old gentleman had been eating from this vine for years, however, and seemed no worse for the wear. Plus, the benefit made it worth the risk at the time. Knowledge, as they say, is power. Had I taken the time to gain the requisite knowledge, I would have had the power to avoid the adverse consequences.
In life, there is no shortage of uncertain situations. We are often presented with different events, opportunities and experiences that leave us looking for clarity and direction. We want to know what is the right thing to do, what is the best course of action, what will lead to benefit and what will lead to harm.
The advent of Google puts a great amount of information at our fingertips, but let us not neglect the truth that has been handed down through the ages in the form of the Bible.
In II Timothy 3:16, it reads, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The Bible is not simply some old, outdated book. It is an imminently practical book filled with principles and practices that can lead us to live full and purposeful lives. It provides us with a filter through which to view one another that when properly applied will lead to compassion, grace and peace and a foundation that will provide us comfort and confidence in a world filled with confusion.
Perhaps if we seek some answers before we act, we’ll avoid some uncomfortable consequences.