Luke 13:6-9
Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” Luke 13:6-9 (NIV)
As Jesus’s parable starts out, it could have ended in a lesson on patience! But it didn’t end that way. Instead, the parable seems to be about ‘what have you done for your fellow man?’ You are taking up space in this world and using resources that could well be used by others! And what have you done? You have produced no fruit to benefit others. Since you have not produced ‘fruit’ after a few years, you might as well be eliminated. Do you think Jesus was suggesting that those of us who are not producing should just be removed from society? Given what we know about Jesus and his teachings, the answer would be a strong NO! Rather Jesus is suggesting that we should use our resources to help the world around us.
And versus 8 and 9 imply to me that Jesus was not adverse to second chances. The Bible often speaks of forgiveness for our sins. In other words, we screwed up but by admitting our sins we can receive forgiveness, i.e. another chance to do, whatever it was, right! While sinning is not necessarily the same as misuse of our God-given resources, it certainly implies that our God is a forgiving God so if we straighten up and fly right we surely will be given a second or third chance. We see this behavior often in the sporting world. Just because Susie did not give it her best shot today, let’s give her a shot at it tomorrow. We see recovering drug users who become clean and then use their talents to contribute to their community. Yes, a second chance has been given to many successful people and it has paid off. With God’s help we can become better citizens and use our resources positively so we produce fruit and do not end up in the wood pile!
Questions for Reflection:
- Have you or someone you know been given a second chance to succeed in today’s world? How did you our do you feel about that?
- Are you aware of folks who are not contributing to society with talent or resources? Have you tried to help these people do better?
Prayer
Dear Lord, please help me use the resources you have given me be a good member of our world. I know I don’t always pull my weight so give me that nudge to move me in the right direction. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN
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