Thoughts for the Day

Then Jesus told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Last week I gave one of my sons a metal box (about 5x3 inches) sealed with tape that I had kept for about 40 years. It was marked with the words 'Seeds from Costa Rica'. It would have been brought back from there in the 1950s when my Aunt last went there. I am hoping they are not as big as the two or three seeds larger than my hand which lay in a drawer with some clothes for years (no idea why I put them there!). They are a curiosity, for without soil, water, and sun that's all they will ever be - seeds in a metal box.

Today's little parable is another that only appears in Luke's gospel, and is in the middle of a large section dedicated to Jesus' teachings on repentance and the urgency of turning to God. The fig tree, was a common symbol at the time and often represented the nation or else an individual believer. In this parable, the fig tree's lack of fruit symbolizes spiritual barrenness or unfaithfulness to God. The owner of the vineyard represents God, who rightfully expects fruitfulness from His people, and Christians have usually seen the gardener who intercedes on behalf of the tree, as being Christ.

As Christians we know we are expected to bear fruit in our lives (Galatians 5.22-23 ), but as the theologian John Stott warned us "A Christian should resemble a fruit tree with real fruit, not a Christmas tree with decorations tied on." I would also add that neither should they be a Christmas tree that had been cut down, but rather a tree that still had its roots and be ready to continue growing fresh fruits.

Father-God,
sometimes we are more like the seeds in a box,
seemingly of not much use to anyone.
Today we pray that Your Spirit will energise us
to become active in Your world,
growing the fruits of the spirit within us
and encouraging us to use them for the benefit
of Your church and Your world.
Amen.