"Sir," the man replied, "leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down." (Luke 13:8,9)In the Parable of the Fig Tree we are told the vineyard is a finite space, and the owner cannot afford a freeloading fig tree using up the soil's nutrients and taking up room where another plant might bring a profit. When he orders the fig tree be cut down, the caretaker talks him out of it, asking for another year to carefully tend the tree, hoping it will produce fruit.
Jesus is teaching his disciples two things: First, he is teaching them about the love and mercy of God, who patiently waits for his children to submit their lives to him and be productive for the kingdom. Second, he teaches them that as much as God is merciful, there is appointed for each of us a time to die - there are only so many days left.
So how does the story end? Does the fig tree produce fruit or will it be cut down? We don't know. We're still in that part of the story where the caretaker is patiently working, hoping the tree will be fruitful.
How fitting, for this is a story about you and me, and we don't yet know how that story will turn out either. We get to write that ending.
What are you doing this week to produce fruit?
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