There was a green land, green like the Garden of Eden. There were many trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses. Everything was alive and bright and flourishing. Three other shrubs were in the meadow. Two had been planted years before, and they were alike in kind and size. The third was planted only recently and was distinct from the other two. All three were brown and dead.
Then the Lord said, “Breathe life into the shrubs.” So, a man breathed on the shrubs and said, “Live.”
After a few days the two older plants came to life, grew new vines, and began to overrun their previous growth. They flourished in the days that followed. But, the third plant—the youngest of the three—did not flourish. It remained dead and lifeless.
The Lord said, “Walk around the dead shrub for seven days. For the first six days say these words to the shrub, ‘The Lord commands you to live.’ But, on the seventh day breathe on the shrub and say, ‘Receive life’.”
So, a man did as the Lord had instructed, and on the seventh day he breathed on the shrub and told it to receive life. But, the plant remained lifeless and dead.
On the eighth day the Lord said, “Whatever does not bear fruit will be thrown into the rubbish heap. Take that dead shrub that would not live, and tear it up from the ground, roots and all. Throw that lifeless shrub into the rubbish heap, for it has failed to bear fruit.”
~ J. Thomas Johnson ~