The Parable of the Blackberries

joelbutts1231minis
Jun 25
3 min read

Blackberries — the definition of Summer.

So it may seem odd to write about blackberries. But keep reading.

A few days ago, I spent some time picking blackberries from our bush in the backyard, as I do every Summer. They say, "If you ain't bleedin', you ain't pickin' right."

This bush was dug up from Linda’s granny’s farm a short distance away. It is OLD. Very old. It was part of a large patch in a fence row. My father-in-law dug it up for us. We planted it in a sunny spot in our backyard.

Granny Brown was a faithful servant, so I’m told. I never got to meet her, though. She passed away a few months before Linda and I started dating. But she left an impressive legacy. Both her sons, Paul and Granville (Uncle Stick), were ministers. We have a piece of furniture, a chest, in our house that was passed down to us. It came with a truly remarkable story of her kindness to a neighbor and the way she embodied the gospel and Jesus' command to care for others.

But for me? It's the blackberry bush. Every summer, I pick berries for pies, cobblers, jam, waffle syrup, and so on. We’ve enjoyed its bounty since the mid-90s. Every fall, I clean out dead canes. In the height of Summer, I make sure it gets water. In the spring, I check for buds and flowers. When it's producing, I trim the big new growth canes back so it can put all its energy into berry-making.

This morning, as I was picking, I was reminded of the potential generational impact of what we do here at T3O for the people of Ukraine, those who are displaced refugees in foreign countries, those who are under threat of death and loss, hurting teens who hunger and thirst for the Lord.

In lots of ways, we're like a blackberry bush, and berries (the fruit) do several things. Berries provide sustenance for the hungry. Berries contain juice that can wet your mouth when you're thirsty. Blackberries produce seeds for future generations. The seeds produce new plants. Furthermore, Canes grow tall toward the light. Their weight causes them to bend back toward the ground. As the cane touches the soil, it sends down roots, and they mature into a new plant, producing fruit as well.

At Twelve3One Ministries, we are:

Grassroots

First, we establish our roots in a relationship with local ministry leaders who are already doing the work—people embedded in their communities who understand the language, culture, and pain. Then we partner with them.

Sustainable

We support long-term relationship-building, cultivated and nurtured by consistent follow-up.

Christ-Centered

We don’t lead with an agenda—we lead with love. The Gospel is shared through trust, discipleship, and action.

Help us continue to cultivate these life-saving relationships in the lives of those who need them most!

Get involved!

Your gift helps a local leader minister to a refugee teen in a foreign land, fostering spiritual growth and helping them adjust. You can help a young couple through a trying time in a city beleaguered by war, helping them survive and find hope. You can deliver our partners and teens to life-giving youth conferences and retreats where they are fed spiritually.