And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. (Mark 11:13)At first glance, it may seem strange and unreasonable for Jesus to curse the fig tree, when "it was not the season for figs." But after some reading up about fig trees, it turns out that fruits will typically appear before the leaves appear. Which was why Jesus, on seeing leaves, went forward to look for some fruits. These fruits are like a forerunner, before the main harvest. In other words, these are the firstfruits. So, even though it was not the season for figs, the absence of these firstfruits already tell us that it was going to be fruitless.
A fig tree with leaves, but fruitless.
This is a lesson for us that the outer appearance does not count, but whether we have bore fruits. From afar, we may look great, and full of potential, but when Jesus really come near to find something, will He find fruits on us?
Let us not wait until the day when God decides to cut us down, for it is a period of grace now that we are still left in the vineyard. He is hoping to see some fruits, and He is even digging around us and fertilizing us (Luke 13:8)!
p.s. i am just not so sure why the lesson of the withered fig tree was about having faith in prayers, as taught by jesus (Mark 11:22-24). isn't it even more apt to talk about bearing fruits?
2 comments:
John 15:16
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."
The incident of the withered fig tree was also to teach us about faith (other than of bearing fruits).
I believe that when the disciples saw the withered fig tree after they had only heard Jesus cursing it the day before (Mark 11:14), they must be kind of fearful. Or, puzzled.
Maybe they are astonished at the power of God's judgement. Maybe they are unsure if they can escape such judgement from such a holy God. I kinda imagine them speechless, mouth open, looking at the withered fig tree, wondering...
Perhaps, they aren't so sure now... if they can do it....
And Jesus answered, "Have faith in God!"
No one can really do this alone - walking on this path of faith towards salvation. We need Jesus. We really do.
By ourselves, wretched, sinful beings, we can't. Left on our own, we will die. We need the Holy Spirit to renew us everyday. We need His Word to guide us everyday. And so, we need to have faith in God that He can help us walk on this heavenly path, safely back home, and along the way, bearing fruits.
Fig...faith...fruit.
That's another lesson for me from the fig tree about pondering over my faith-to have faith in God.
I was in my grandpa's garden today looking at the fig tree. I asked my grandpa what fig was in chinese and he told me, then he brought up the story of the fig tree, how Jesus cursed the fruitless fig tree. It just reinforced the importance of bearing fruits after reading Mark 11...and the need to bear good fruits too!
"A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Therefore by their fruits you will know them." (Matthew 7:18-20)
It seems that the season of figs is now and so I have been eating lots of figs. Some figs are bright green and fleshy red on the inside, while some are yellow and scratched and dry and burnt on the inside. Thinking about it now reminds me of those verses.
And good fruits come from constant watering and care, protection and nourishment. It's interesting to see how figs, faith and fruits teach us about a good spiritual life.
d.
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