Last year, I planted a clematis vine that came with a miniature trellis. In front of it, I sprinkled wildflower seeds that quickly took over, blocking the clematis’s sunlight and stunting its growth. I didn’t expect it to survive, but without the other plants impeding it, this spring, it has begun to thrive.
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed the plant had outgrown its trellis and collapsed in a tangled heap because its stem couldn’t support itself. So, I did what any mediocre gardener with a beige thumb would’ve done-I bought a real trellis and wove the vine through it as best I could. I go out every evening and carefully wrap the branching sections, so they’ll work their way up their pretty new climbing structure.
In the process, I noticed something I’d never paid attention to before. The vine’s tendrils don’t just cling to the trellis, they wrap around each other, forming a kind of support system. The stronger strands hold onto the weaker ones, helping them rise until they can reach the cross pieces of the trellis on their own.
I know it’s science. It’s called thigmotropism—a growth response to touch. I imagine it as something more, though, like one part of the vine intentionally refusing to let another fall. I picture the stems reaching out like human hands to grasp a comrade who’s slipped over a steep ledge. “Don’t you let go of me, Clem.”
What if we lived like the clematis? What if we did a better job of pulling one another up and lending support until our people could find their footing? Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us, “Two people are better than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” And Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
The law of Christ is simple enough: love God. Love people. But that people part gets us, doesn’t it? Loving those who are different from us is a struggle. Helping those who continually make poor choices can be draining. Did Jesus put stipulations on which people we must love and how many times we are to help? He did not.
Sometimes we are the ones reaching up for a hand because we’ve slipped. Other times, we are the ones on solid footing who must offer support. Either way, keep holding on, and together we will grow.