Then He told this parable, "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
'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 13:6-9
We have several young fruit trees in our yard, but so far no fruit. One of the latest trees my husband planted was a pear tree. We got so excited to see tiny little pears start to grow. We were just as deflated when they withered up and fell off before they were mature.
Just like our pear tree, the parable shows that the fig tree was not bearing fruit for the master. That was the tree's purpose for living - bearing fruit. Not only was it not serving its purpose, but it was also taking up valuable space in the vineyard.
I have read this parable many times in the past and have seen the same thing over and over. It wasn't until this morning that the Lord showed me a different perspective to see it from - the gardener's perspective.
First of all, the gardener showed his concern for the tree as he pled for the owner to spare it. He actually interceded for the tree.
Secondly, he was not ready to give up hope. When you think about 3 years with no fruit, it really sounds like a long time to wait. He was also still willing to spend his time and energy to take care of the tree. It is really hard to continue to nurture something when you do not see results.
As I read this, God showed me that we need to be more like the gardener when dealing with unfruitful believers. Do we always keep them in our prayers and plead for them? Do we intercede with a sense of urgency?
We cannot give up or lose hope for them. Instead, we must continue to nurture them in hope that they will return to fulfill the purpose the Lord has set for them.
I also wonder if the fig tree would have begun to bear fruit if the gardener would have "put the tree down" and talked about it behind it's back. Somehow, I think nurturing would have better results. However, so many times we talk about people who have fallen away from serving the Lord. No wonder it takes so long for them to return.
My husband will continue to care for the pear tree in hopes that next year we will have fruit. I had to wait for 4 years for my peonies to bloom! Honestly, I had given up hope, but I'm glad I waited. When they did finally bloom, they were gorgeous and lasted for weeks! How much better will it be when our brothers and sisters in Christ return for service? Until then, intercede, nurture, and do not lose hope.
Author Resource:-
Susan Sikes is the author of A Woman of Noble Character. Her ministry, Out of the Nest & Beyond, trains girls in the area of homemaking skills and encourages women. She sends out a free e-newsletter “News from the Nest” each month, which includes a devotional, tips, & recipes. To find quick & easy recipes, visitOut of the Nest & Beyond
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