My husband loves spring when all our local nurseries start selling fruit trees. For twenty-five or thirty dollars, he can bring home a green stick in a bucket with great potential. Over the years we have purchased the equivalent of an orchard. I’m only kidding a little bit. We currently have orange, grapefruit, plum, lemon, and fig trees….all living. The number of trees that we watched slowly dry up and die is beyond my memory. But let’s not dwell on the failures.
God is a Patient Gardener
Let’s talk fruitfulness. Jesus mentioned it often. They say Jesus was a carpenter, but he surely must have plowed and planted at some point. And like any tree planter, he knew the patience it takes to wait on fruit, the thrill of watching it ripen, and the disgust of having a tree that does everything but produce. Often he used those experiences to explain a spiritual truth. One of his lesser mentioned parables is found in Luke 13.
Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
Luke 13:6-7
In this story, a fig tree is planted. This was the desire of the land owner. It was no accident of nature or wild fig bush that sprung up overnight. It was planted. Work done by the land owner with no effort by the tree. The tree planter anticipates the fruit. He comes “again and again” to see if there is anything. I’ve been there. As mentioned before, I have a fig tree. I walk the path to that tree daily during spring and summer to check on it. Maybe…could it be…possibly…is that a…? I’ve never yet seen a fig. “Always disappointed.”
That was the land owner. Patiently waiting for years. The Bible uses the word, “Finally” to describe the end of his patience. He had given it ample time to prove itself. Yet the tree had three years of only taking and never giving any fruit in return.
It seems to me the parable tells the story of The Father as the landowner, and Jesus as the gardener. The Father has planted that “tree” and He desires the fruit He made that “soul” to produce. And He is patient. He does not nag or threaten. He patiently, and I mean patiently, checks on the tree in great anticipation. He knows what it is capable of growing figs.
You Want Me to Do What?
He didn’t want to dig it up after the first year with no fruit. As a matter of fact, Levitical law taught to leave a tree unharvested for three years after planting it. Man, that’s hard to do. I bought, actually my fruit farming husband bought a peach tree last year. We thought this was a sure thing. Not because we have great history with peach trees, but because it had an abundance of tiny peaches already hanging from its’ thin limbs when we brought it home. We were going to be picking peaches soon! Then my brother came over. He is a tried and true, green thumb, just plant it and it will grow, farmer. I proudly took him to see my cute little peaches. They were about thumb size now and numbered around 15! His response: “You’re gonna need to pick most of those off. Maybe leave one or two. This season needs to be about growing the tree.”
Picture this: I’m rolling on the ground pulling up grass and throwing it over my head and groaning, “No! No! There has to be another way!” Then I get up and say to myself, ‘That’s just not happening. I’m not pulling the fruit that God has given me. Not happening.’
True confession: What the birds didn’t poke holes in and destroy eventually fell off after breaking the weak limbs that were trying to hold them. I didn’t get a single peach and my tree lost most of its limbs. The jury is still out as to if it will have another spring or if the mulch pile will be its grave.
Can you see the comparison to our souls? God plants us in the soil of His Kingdom and allows us to grow. He keeps a close eye and desires growth and allows time for fruit. When we put too many demands on ourselves or others before allowing a growing season, limbs break, arms fold under the heavy burden and burnout and spiritual death is common. God may be calling us to a season of sitting at His feet and listening. He may ask you to study His Word and NOT teach it somewhere else. There may be a season to fill your time with seeking Him and soaking in His presence and being quiet. This will produce fruit later.
Jesus, Our Interceder
In the parable, after three years and still no figs, the land owner tells the gardener to cut it down. It is only taking up space. Oh me. Don’t let it be said that I merely took up space in the Kingdom. I won’t try to explain the useless spiritual tree. Let’s just leave it as the one who just takes and never gives. The Gaither Vocal Band sang a song a few years ago about Givers and Takers. You could divide the world into just those two groups. Uselessness invites disaster. The Land Owner declared that a tree that just takes nutrients from the earth and fills up space was useless and must be cut down.
But here is where our sweet Savior steps in.
The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’
Luke 13: 8
The Gardener of our Soul intercedes for us. Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father doing just that. When the Accuser stands before God telling of all your fruitlessness, Jesus leans in and asks for another chance. He asks for one more year and the opportunity to give us extra attention. He is not walking away from the empty tree, but rather blocking out some special time just for it.
Notice the mention of fertilizer? Ever the Carer of our Souls, Jesus knows that fertilizer is needed and just the right kind…like it or not. I’ve had a few years I felt like I was being surrounded by manure…ahem, fertilizer. Little did I know Jesus was trying to produce more fruit in my life.
God of Another Chance
Then Jesus tells the Father that if after another year there are figs, great! And if the opposite is true, then the tree is a goner. Of course, the Father is willing to give another year. Remember, “He is not willing that any should perish.” 2 Peter 3:9. Don’t think that God is the heartless one here. They are a team in perfect agreement and always love you.
One more thought about fruit bearing. Don’t despise the small beginnings. Our orange tree puts out what seems to be thousands of little tiny white flowers that quickly fall off and leave behind the tiniest little oranges you can imagine. The thing is they are dark green just like the leaves. You can stare at that tree for five minutes before seeing a single orange and then all of a sudden your eyes stop playing tricks and the hundreds hanging there become visible. It is covered with pea size dark green oranges.
A Process that Pays off Sweetly
In our own lives and honestly others, we just don’t see the fruit yet. It’s not the right size, wrong color, and not the least bit tasty. At a quick glance it doesn’t exist at all. But it’s there. The Land Owner and Gardener are watching it daily. With special attention from Him and a little extra “fertilizer” applied that fruit is going to be wonderful. The limbs have grown for seasons. The roots are firmly established. Soon the tree will be heavy with fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). It’s not figs the Master wants. He enjoys the fruit of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Let it grow. Don’t get discouraged with your own or inspect too closely others small fruit. They’re growing. Give it time. There’s nothing more sour than unripe fruit. Allow the Gardener free access and you and I will one day savor the sweetest, juiciest, bowl of goodness ever picked.
