Cut At the Root

​​“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”
John 8:34 (NIV)

Have you ever made a decision that seemed harmless until it slowly started to take over?

In 1876, a Japanese vine called kudzu was introduced into the United States as an ornamental plant. It looked attractive and seemed perfectly harmless. Nobody panicked at first because it started so small.

Within decades, it had smothered millions of acres, earning a devastating nickname, “the vine that ate the South.” 

That is exactly how Jesus describes sin in John 8:34. It does not announce itself as a problem. It often begins as attractive, manageable, and or even useful. But left unconfessed and unchecked, it spreads its roots deeper until it chokes the joy, the peace, and the hope right out of your life.

The good news is that Kudzu can be controlled, but only when you go after the root. Jesus targeted and overcame the root of sin as He hung on that tree. And His Spirit living in you today gives you the power to replace what sin has smothered with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. 

These are what grow supernaturally when the invasive thing is finally removed.

Today, bring the root into the light. Where you’re struggling with a habit, carrying shame or feeling stuck, name what you have held in the dark. Confess it honestly to God. 

Think of the cross as a sign posted in the ground of your life, not Road Closed, but Root Removed. The invasive thing has been dealt with, fully and finally. From here, love grows. Joy grows. Peace grows. Everything sin choked out, is restored.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the cross. There, You dealt with sin—and not just our sins, but the root of all sin. Thank You that sin has no power over us. Let the fruit of Your Holy Spirit grow in it’s place—may I walk in patience, gentleness, self-control, and live in the light of Your steadfast love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.