Context: Jesus was walking with the disciples one day and got hungry. From a distance He saw a fig tree that had leaves on it and went to the tree expecting to find something to eat. Jesus instead discovered that the fig tree had no fruit on it and cursed the tree saying, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” Now it must be said that Mark’s account makes it clear that it was not the season for figs. So this little scenario takes us on a very interesting journey.
Many people have speculated many things about this story and I am one of those many people. Some have said that Jesus was just showing His human side, He was hangry (hungry and angry). I used to believe this, I thought yup, that’s plausible but I no longer do and this is why. Fig trees generally produce figs before leaves and the fruit starts off green so can easily be hidden by the green of the leaves.
So even though it was not the season for figs, if there were leaves, there must have been fruit right? In this case it was wrong. So is the case with many of us, we show outward appearances of Godliness and from afar we may seem mature and stable in our relationship with Christ. We seem to others like someone to learn from and be refreshed by but on closer inspection what are we? People satisfied with what we look like hoping that nobody will get close enough to challenge our lack of fruit. Just as Jesus got close to the fig tree and saw it for what it truly was on that day, everyday of our lives He sees us and knows us for who we truly are and therefore says in the book of Matthew that any tree which does not bear good fruit will be cut down.
This may seem harsh but this is the law of nature and something we ourselves operate in on a daily basis. You have flowers and they just stop growing and even begin to wither, what do you do? An apple tree is producing apples yes but they are rotten, what do you do?
So what am I saying to myself and anybody reading this? Make sure you are producing good fruit, fruit that will stand the test of this life, fruit that can help others want to know who your gardener is. Why? Because they too are producing fruit but it is not like yours or maybe they are simply producing signs that there should be fruit but in actual fact there is nothing there. The book of Isaiah chapter 29 talks about people paying lip service to God but their hearts are far because what they are doing isn’t deep rooted, it’s just what they were taught to do (ouch).
It is very easy to just say ‘oya start producing good fruit’ but how right? How?
Self evaluate: is my walk with Christ just what I have been taught or is it what I live?
Study, am I looking like Christ or even trying to, according to His portrait in scripture.
Pray to bear good fruit and surround yourself with people who will not stand for you to bear rotten fruit or no fruit at all.
Have a relationship with the only One that knows you intimately and can reveal who you are and should be to you.
The good news is there is hope for us all, regardless of which stage we are at because of Christ and His amazing grace (unmerited favour) and mercy (compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm).