In the farming world, the farmer plants with the expectation of reaping fruits from every seed planted. However, some seeds will germinate and grow into fruitful plants while others die, still others grow up to be fruitless. These barren trees are usually cut down and thrown out, while the fruitful ones will be harvested, trimmed and pruned for new produce.

            We are reminded of the incident in the bible when Jesus returned to the city hungry. He approached a fig tree in the way and found it bearing leaves only and no fruit. Jesus was not happy and cursed the tree that it bore no fruit in the future and the fig tree withered immediately (Matthew 21:18-19). The fig tree was planted in the way and should have borne fruit but it didn’t. How many of us as believers are planted in the way to be fruitful to others and we bear no fruit? Like Jesus, so many pass us by, into our spaces hungry for a word of encouragement, a smile, a prayer, healing, or salvation and we have no fruit of the Spirit to offer, and they walk away hungry still.

We Are A Solution To A Kingdom Problem

            St Luke tells us a similar story where “a certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth (being in the way or render useless. Merriam-webster) it the ground?” Luke 13:6-7. The tree was not planted for itself, but rather to feed mankind, and Jesus was teaching that in failing to produce, the tree was useless and needed to be destroyed. The lesson was that every believer has been planted by God not for themselves but to be a solution to a Kingdom problem here on earth. Each of us has been given a gift which is our seed to minister one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). We must however discover it so that we may fulfill it. Don’t just know your purpose, fulfill it for the Kingdom.

Call To Action

Everyone has something to do in the kingdom of God. The Apostle Paul admonishes Timothy to stir up the gift of God within him (2 Timothy 1:6) and to keep that good thing, that gift given by the Holy Spirit that was in him (vs. 14). It is time for us to shake ourselves loose from every complacency, apathy to the kingdom of God and stir ourselves up in the power of the Holy Spirit and bear the fruits we have been planted to produce. Let not the Lord come and find us wanting.

Other References: Psalms 1:3; Genesis 2:5-7; 2 Timothy 1:6; Jeremiah 51: 21-23; Genesis 2:15; Romans 12:11; Job 23:10.