ARE WE LIKE THE FIG TREE ... UNPRODUCTIVE?
Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
My dear encountered couples:
Jesus told the people the parable of the fig tree. It just wasn’t bearing any figs – none for the last three years. So, what good was it? The owner decided to cut it down. But then he was persuaded by his head man to give it another year. If it still didn’t bear any figs the next year, he would cut it down.
We all want to live long lives. But more important is the result of any amount of time we do have on earth. Do we produce anything worthwhile by our lives? Or are we like the fig tree that just stands there and takes up space? The fig tree was given one more year. I wonder how much more time we have.
When any day passes that does not see us become better people in some way or another, that day is wasted.
I hope there is progress in us that only God can see. If there isn’t, we are in real trouble. Because there are many days when we can’t see any progress in ourselves, nor can anyone else.
Pray for all the time you can get. But don’t use it to just stand around and take up space. Like the man who promised to hoe around the fig tree and fertilize it to help it produce, the Holy Spirit is always at work doing whatever is needed to get you to produce. Don’t disappoint him. Learn to recognize his activity within you and respond to it as best you can. Then when your life here does end, it will merely be time for you to be transplanted in a better place.
So, today may be a good opportunity to ask ourselves: How am I bearing fruit? Am I producing tasty fruit? Or is my fruit small and somewhat tasteless? Am I producing an abundant crop or a meager crop? And what are the fruits that I share with the people in my life and with the world?
We may consider our fruits small or insignificant. However, often a simple act of kindness may be a loving gift to the individual who receives your kindness. Today, trust that you will bear fruit. And be thankful for the “fruits” other people share with you!
