Romans 11

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! Romans 11:17-24 NIV

Anyone can become a believer in Jesus Christ and a part of His eternal family.  Here, Paul uses a metaphor of an olive tree with both natural and grafted branches, to describe who can be a part of God’s family.  He reminds us that salvation is available to anyone who professes that Jesus is his/her Lord and savior: “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:13).  There is also a warning here for us in this metaphor of the olive tree:  We should not be arrogant about our intimate relationship with God and the fact that we are His sons and daughters.  This is an indescribable and incomparable gift, but not something that we can take any credit for.  We need to remember that we are forever a part of God’s royal family, not because we have done something great, but because God is so great.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).  So give thanks to the Lord for His amazing gift of love and grace, and make sure to remind those around you that there is still space to be grafted onto the olive tree!