“6 Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. 9 And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down’” Luke 13: 6-9.
This little parable of Jesus packs a punch, at least as far as as I am concerned. God plants us here on earth for however many days and hours He plans. Our life is to grow and produce good fruit while we are planted here on earth. If God finds that we are not producing as He wishes, but instead we are living a life defined by sin and our own choices, He will cut us down. God’s patience towards us is not without limits. We can’t keep living a life of sin and expect that tomorrow we will suddenly bear fruit in our life. We cannot live as if we are in charge!
And the other thing that is not within God’s plan is for us to negotiate with God for another chance based on our own good will and abilities to start to bear fruit. Asking God for another year so we can produce a life of good fruit is not what God wants from us. We cannot do what we wish today, and tell God: "Tomorrow….tomorrow….I promise I will change.”
So our repentance and change in lifestyle must be deep and complete and filled with the grace of God. We cannot live turning the spigot on and off at will. We know when we are sinning, so we better begin now to repent, turn back from our evil and sinful ways, and follow Christ. Jesus says, “You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect” Matthew 24:44. Jesus even specifically refers later to this short parable of the fig tree above, and He warns us: “32 From the fig tree learn its lesson" Matthew 24:32.
So let us pray for each other today. Pray that we not think we can fool Christ. Pray that we may truly, once and for all, repent. Pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” Acts 3:19.
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” Acts 17:30.
“Do you still presume on the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” Romans 2:4?
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