Looking at my shaggy lawn that is too wet to mow, I have been thinking how beautiful it has been this summer. The grass has been green all summer. The flowers and trees look great. Lots of rain and cool temperatures have produced some of the best crops we’ve ever seen. Our ponds and lakes have, for the most part, been filled. This year may well be listed on the record books as a great year.
The tree outside my window has already lost a good part of its leaves. The golden-reddish color is lovely. I noticed another tree like this one during one of my daily walks with Lynda. Trees turning colors and losing their leaves in the latter part of August seems unusual to me. But it won’t be long until our yards are piled high with leaves and small children are once again jumping into leaf piles.
Farmers are expecting a big crop. Barring some weird storms, the crops should be excellent. But what if, the farmers looked at their ears of corn and found there were no kernels on the cob. The corn stalks were plush and green, but no corn had been formed. They would probably be upset if there were no corn kernels. After all, they plant the corn for the grain, not to see green stalks as “high as an elephant’s eye”.
I remember Jesus having an experience with not getting a crop. In Matthew 21:17.. it reads: "Now in the morning, as he returned unto the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and there was not any fruit on it, and leaves only. And he said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee, henceforward, forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw this, they marvelled (wondered) and said, how soon is the fig tree withered away."
Jesus was hungry and looked at a fig tree that had lots of leaves. When he got to the tree, there were no figs, so he cursed the tree. The tree died within a day. (Mark 11:21-23) His disciples were troubled by his action. Why should he blame the tree? Without getting into a discussion about the "why" possibilities, I will simply presume Jesus acted correctly. His actions are not based on whim or mere emotion. He expected fruit. There was no fruit. The tree was cursed and died. (The fig tree itself is a parable applicable to our time.)
We have a lot of beautiful people in the Restoration. In some
ways, these people are like the fig tree-- No fruit and nothing but leaves.
These people don’t live out-wardly bad lives. They just don’t produce
fruit. Nothing "spiritual" happens in their life. As a result, they
have no testimony to give. In short, they are not doing what the master expects,
or “producing fruit”. How can we be valiant (brave, courageous,
bold) in our testimony if we don’t tell any? (If we don’t have any
testimonies, that may be worse) We don’t gather figs from thorns, and
testimonies don’t come from a inwardly turned life. Look at your life.
Do you see fruit, or nothing but leaves? Jesus said, "Now learn a parable
of the fig
tree...(Mark
13:45)