Fruit trees grow slender branches that arch out providing havens for birds as well as producing delicious, nutritional fruit. Fruit trees also grow another kind of branch called a sucker . Suckers shoot straight up and
produce nothing. What they do is steal from the rest of the tree. They steal water and nutrients necessary to the health and continued production of fruit.
There is no way to reform these sucker branches. They will never bear good fruit. Self is a sucker. Self preservation, self esteem, self fulfillment, self importance, selfish ambition, self pity and selfishness. How contrary to what Jesus teaches us. Selflessness, denial of self, humility, humbleness and death to self.
As a Christian I can fluff out my leaves and give the appearance that I'm a healthy, productive part of the tree. Until it comes time to produce fruit. It is impossible for self to be transformed into a fruit bearer. Fruit is
used to feed others and to bring glory to God. Frankly - self just isn't interested in the needs of others or in glorifying God - unless it does something for self.
The only way to deal with a sucker is to take an ax to the base of the branch and be rid of it.
When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.
