March 15, 2022
Tuesday’s Thoughts on Scripture comes from the Gospel of Luke 13:6-9: Then [Jesus] told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ (NRSV)
A pastor told the story that when he was an intern he was given the task to visit inactive members and invite them back to the fold. He made his first call and after a nice conversation, he asked if he could read scripture. Certainly, the family said, and the above is what he chose. Needless to say, it was not well-received. He was asked to not come back. Suppose the family did not like being referred to as a fig tree wasting the soil.
I think I can understand. After all, we humans tend to think we are important, at least to someone. That we have a positive impact in someone’s life. That our lives bear fruit in some way. How sad to think we might only be worthy of being cut down and thrown away.
Yet, how quick we might also be to make judgments of who is worthy and who is not based on what we think we see as “bearing fruit.” Thankfully, we are not the ones in control. Thankfully, we have a loving God who is, and who is always willing - and desires - to give us all more chances, more time, more grace. Who teaches us through rich “fertilizer” such as communities of believers, worship, Holy Communion, scripture, prayer and more, about this love, reminding us that we are worthy and loved by the God of grace.
Blessings. And prayers.
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