The only place in the New Testament where we have the "I am" statements is here in the Gospel of John. Here is where we find, "I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the vine."

Jesus is bread to the world. He is light in the darkness. He is the one who connects the world to God. To you farmers out there, anyone who has ever been around a vineyard knows the main vine is the key to life. It is thick and is the supply line that nourishes the branches so they may produce grapes. There is also a pot full of twigs branching out but doing nothing but taking up space. Jesus tells His listeners that these twigs must be cut away so that the healthy, productive branch will have plenty of healthy fruit.

It makes sense to those who farm, love grapes, and especially to those who know Jesus is talking to them. And if you're listening, you don't want to be a twig, average or just a common person waiting to be discovered.

Come on now, we are special and go out of our way to prove it. We wear stylish clothes, grow beards, take dangerous jobs and work on doing whatever we can to be more than just a man or a woman. Question: how can you be more of a man or a woman, unless you eat a lot?

Well, we try. So many spend their entire lifetime trying to figure out what they are supposed to be, do what they're supposed to do and are disappointed because they cannot achieve greatness. "Will I ever turn out to be something, or am I just destined for mediocracy?"

And, if we are serious Christians, what does God expect of us? Jesus, I don't want to be pruned!

We really feel the crunch when it gets close to stewardship time. Let's face it, the church doesn't run on promise and air, because it does have to pay the bills. We sign our pledge card and start planning our budget accordingly. Then – and it always happens – someone in the family will break a leg, it's time to get the teeth fixed, the framus on the air conditioning unit goes on the fritz and the church may just have to wait until next year to get a raise. Bingo, one more twig – that's me – is snipped off the vine. Hang in there, Bunky.

God, I have failed You. I have failed myself. I have failed to be the person You created me to be. I've been searching all my life to find that special something to do. I just haven't found it.

Be comforted! Be comforted. If you have your Bible, turn to John 15:1-5. In the third verse, we have our answer, "You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you."

"You are with Me, a follower, a believer, and I am a part of you. Since we are together, you'll do the job."

"What job?" we cry out.

"My son, my daughter, just be yourself. In a world that does not care, does not love, does not try, you are to care, to love, to try."

Someone said, "There are two very important days in everyone's life. The first day is the day when we are born. The second day is the day we understand why."

Your special purpose is to be what you are now, today, at this moment. What makes you great is your connection to Jesus Christ.

"I am the Vine and you are the branches, apart from Me, you can do nothing ... but with Me, you can do everything!"

Thanks, God!