“Grafting”

BIBLE READING: Romans 11

               Holly Dunn released a song in 1986 called “Daddy’s Hands”.  Some of the lyrics go like this: “Daddy’s hands were soft and kind when I was cryin’.  Daddy’s hands were hard as steel when I done wrong.  Daddy’s hands weren’t always gentle, but I’ve come to understand there was always love in daddy’s hands.”  That’s a similar thought to what we see here in Romans 11.  We are reminded by Paul that God shows us grace, but is not afraid to be firm.

               Now, grafting olive trees is a concept that I know absolutely nothing about.  Fortunately, we live in the age of the Internet where we can learn anything and everything we ever wanted to know, or look up.  So, I found some information about olive-tree grafting…

               Some trees have very desirable fruit characteristics and weak roots. Others have strong roots but small or no fruit. Grafting can combine the strong roots and good fruit into the same tree. In addition, some rootstocks increase disease resistance or make the tree better able to survive in some other way. In order to be successful, the two varieties must be compatible, meaning the cambium, or growth tissue under the bark, must fuse together.  Small trees are grafted by budding, in which a small bud is removed from a desirable olive tree and slipped into the bark on a small seedling. A branch grows from the bud and the remaining branches are removed from the seedling.

               With Paul’s audience living in an area where olives were a main commodity, they would understand the illustration he uses in verses 16-20.  They would understand that the promises made to Abraham are the root of the tree, and the Jews continued this plant until they, as a whole, rejected the Messiah.  This allowed the Gentiles, thanks to grace, to be grafted in/admitted into God’s church.  But, then comes Pauls’ warning in verse 21-22, “For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.  Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God;”  So often the world around us wants to focus on God’s goodness.  And He is definitely good!  But, we should never forget the severity of God, and what that can mean for us eternally.  We can be removed by our sinful action if we allow them to.  Be on guard today!