Love: A Gateway To The Soul
Have you ever read or heard a scripture reading and it repeats itself in your head, but you can’t seem to understand if there’s a message in it for you? After years of reading the bible, I’ve been taught to “insert” myself into the scripture, when this happens, and see if it draws out more meaning for you.
I’ve found this technique helpful in studying scripture. I couldn’t help find a connection in a reading from Luke, the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree. Just this week, I was contemplating tossing these mangled branches - called my fig plant. I cannot even call it a fig tree as it is the same size it was three years ago when I purchased it. I water it moderately throughout the winter months as it takes its place indoors by a large window with lots of light (I bring it in from the harsh Northeast winter). Every year, I get excited to see the leaves sprout and I wait patiently as the weather warms and I can begin to wean it back to its place on our outside deck, just to be disappointed again when it bears no fruit.
When I heard the parable, I laughed and thought God was surely in tune with my menial thoughts about my fig tree, but for the next several days, as I looked at my mangled mess, I felt drawn to dive deeper into this scripture passage.
Luke 13:6-9 says “He also spoke this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years, I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ “But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it: And if it bears fruit, well: but if not, after that you can cut it down."
Digging (pun intended) into the scripture a bit, I found that the Fig tree was often a common symbol for Israel. The unfruitful fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's unresponsiveness to the Word of God. God was disappointed when they did not bear fruit (Is 5:1-7). Israel was being offered one last chance for repentance. The three years has been interpreted as meaning the period of Jesus’ ministry.
God is so patient with us, isn’t he? He gives us so many chances to wake up and get it right; repent of our sins and try to make better choices. After all, our life here on earth was meant to bear fruit; to share our gifts and love with others to grow His Kingdom. I’m sure, just like myself, God may sometimes be disappointed with my efforts, my lack of understanding or unwillingness to bear “good fruit”. Yet, there He is, every day, ready to prune my branches, dig up the earth around me, fill me with good fertilizer, and rain down His mercy upon me. His Holy Spirit is always there with me, to guide and support me. His grace – these gifts, if not shared, cannot bear the fruit in our lives that He is expecting of us. (Matt 25: 14-30) So, just like the Master Gardener, this gardener will take care to heed God’s Word in my own life as well as with my unfruitful fig tree – I will dig up the soil around it - fertilize it – and care for it while there is still time to bear good fruit.