BE FRUITFUL
Are you aware that in the bible there are two stories about two fig trees? In St. Matthew 21:19, Jesus was hungry, and when he came to the fig tree, it had no fruits on it. Jesus cursed the fig tree saying, “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever.” Then in St. Luke 13:6-9, the owner of the vineyard complained that for three years he had been watching this particular fig tree. It had been unfruitful every time he came to check it. He felt it was time to cut the tree down and free up the ground for a fruitful tree. The gardener, begged the master to allow him to “dig about and dung it”, just one more year, after that he would cut it down. We infer from the story that this time was granted.
What is the moral of these two stories? As saints of Christ, our lives should be fruitful. Christ Jesus is constantly checking us out to see if we are fruitful or not. In the first parable, He did not allow the tree any more time to live. He wanted fruit, saw none on it and he cursed it, so that it died. This is possible in our own lives. As we are daily examined by Christ, there could come a point when He decides, it is enough, I am not being glorified in you, and you are not bearing any fruits of righteousness. You are barren. Your life is profitable to no one. Come and take your rest.
It is also His prerogative to give us another chance. If this is the case, where we get another opportunity to be fruitful, then we are recipients of his mercy and grace. He may then begin to “dig about us and dung us”. What does this mean? This means He will allow trials and tribulations in our lives to test, try and build up our most holy faith in Him. Imagine that the hoe or the fork the gardener uses was being used on you. You would feel much pain and indeed, you would bleed. This is how our trials sometimes make us feel. Imagine that you have to dung some of the plants in your garden or on the farm. Do you know that digging and dunging produces great and luscious fruits. It is the same thing in our lives. The trials and heartaches we encounter, produce, mature and well-rounded saints. We can be of help and assistance to others because we have endured. It is when we have the right attitude and spirit in times of our trials, when we can remember that the God of our salvation is in control of our lives and He would not allow anything to come upon us that he cannot see us through. It is only then that we will conquer in his name and be great witnesses for him.
Jesus wants us to share the story of our salvation with the person next to us. He wants us to shine in the face of adversity. He wants to be lifted up in our lives so that He can draw others unto Himself. Become a fruitful bough today; don’t allow Him to curse you.