The Soon-to-Be Victims of Decluttering
Decluttering Seems Cruel!
It’s a struggle that’s been happening for years. I hate deliberately killing plants. I’m more than capable of ending their lives horribly through neglect or too much care. But to choose to destroy a defenceless little life form that is only trying to survive in a harsh world seems unconscionable. And isn’t more better, anyway? Weeds don’t come close to touching my heart—they’re fair game, so they don’t even enter this discussion! I’m a soft-hearted gardener, but in this case, kindness is folly in disguise. I’m learning about the wisdom of decluttering from the trays on my windowsill.
Wisdom from a Reliable Source
The Bible even speaks to this situation. John 15:1–2 says, “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.” (NIV). Yes, he is speaking metaphorically here, but he draws the lesson from the agricultural world. Not only does he remove the dead stuff, but he also whacks back the happy plants. Pruning is a kindness—letting everything grow wild is not. So, it turns out that being a soft-hearted gardener is folly in disguise.
My Gardening Decluttering Delusion
Where I struggle most is with thinning out healthy plants. I must reduce (translation: declutter) each pellet in the photo above to contain only one vigorous stem. That way, they won’t crowd each other out as they grow and fight for water, nutrients and space. And that means killing some perfectly viable plants that might have had a long, happy life. Maybe.
As the executioner, how do you choose which fragile shoots will finish their days in a fatal encounter with a shiny, sharp blade? Afterwards, can you be sure that the one remaining will survive? What if it doesn’t, and you have nothing as a backup? The sad truth is that whenever I leave more growing than I should, the chosen ones are thinner and don’t reach their full production potential. So, to answer my question, no, more isn’t necessarily better. Isn’t one definition of insanity doing the same thing and expecting a different result? I think I’m writing this post to myself!
Follies in Disguise
What does this principle of pruning or decluttering mean for my spiritual life?
When the soft-hearted gardener in me decides not to whack back the dead limbs, the unproductive areas of my life that take my time and energy, I’m not being kind to myself. Decluttering is a hot topic on social media, but it’s just an updated term for purging or pruning. Those who espouse this activity/lifestyle rave about the freedom it offers afterwards.
The past few years have been exceptionally busy, and the time has come for me to get serious about decluttering. Ignoring the areas awaiting attention might seem less painful than reducing the amount of stuff I own, but caring for it takes time and energy away from better things. Keeping my schedule to a reasonable level of busyness is an ongoing challenge; sometimes, it needs decluttering, too. Continuing with activities out of obligation that prevent me from having the space to serve in more productive areas when opportunities arise is another of those deceptive follies.
Beyond the physical realm, pruning the stuff, schedules, and activities that offer little benefit would give me more breathing room for longer quiet times with God, reading, or myriad other intangible benefits. So, I think it’s time I got busy decluttering several areas of my life.
A Soft-Hearted or Wise Gardener?
Being a soft-hearted gardener doesn’t produce a robust, healthy, fruitful garden. It creates clutter that is counterproductive to the well-being of the plants and my dream of a lush vegetable patch.
John 15:4 says, “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.” (NIV). To create the inner garden I desire, I don’t have to do everything alone or hang on to clutter as my security. I can rely on the strength, wisdom and guidance of Someone who knows much more about life in the garden and all its facets than I do. That’s a happy and secure place to live.
Although I will never become a master gardener, I’ll aim to be a wiser one, outside in the dirt and inside my heart. After all, I’m under the care of the Master Gardener. Are you?
Bye for now—there’s a closet calling my name,
Brenda Erb Roberts
If you need a chuckle today, my previous Lighter Side post might lift your spirits: https://brendaerbroberts.com/its-national-laundry-day/
I love to declutter. It’s the best part of moving, actually, and at other times too. It always feels so good after.
And I’ve been pruned many times by my Saviour. So many times, but ALWAYS for the good! Doesn’t feel that way while He’s working on me, but after the fact – 👏🏼👍🏻
I don’t quite share your love of decluttering, but it does feel great when it is finished. I haven’t moved in 27 years, so there is a great day of reckoning coming at some point! You are so right. Our Saviour does prune us, but he is loving and kind, and although it hurts, we definitely benefit from it. I want to be as fruitful as I can in the coming years, so I’ll trust the Master Gardener with the shears.