When We Lack Fruit
Throughout Scripture, there is a recurring image of God as gardener, planting for himself a fruit-bearing people. After all, the world began in a garden where God commanded Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply.” Yet, as the storyline of Scripture grinds forward after the fall, God’s people are shown to be sorely lacking fruit. In Isaiah 5, the prophet describes a vineyard, the “planting of the Lord.” The vineyard is Israel and Judah, both of whom bore wild grapes, rebelling against the Lord. Consequently, the he vows to destroy his wicked vineyard.
Likewise, in the New Testament, in Mark 11, Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree. Different plant, same principle. What God planted did not bear the fruit that the Lord desired. Directly after Jesus curses the tree, he cleanses the Temple. The connection is clear - the Judah of Jesus’ day, led by its hypocritical worship, was as unfaithful as in Isaiah’s day. Similar to Jesus’ vow to destroy his vineyard, in part realized in the exile, Jesus curses the fig tree. We see the partial fulfillment of Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree in the Roman invasion of Jerusalem in 70 A. D. But the declaration of judgment in the mouth of Isaiah and the curse in the mouth of Jesus points ultimately to the judgment of the fruitless on the Day of the Lord. The wheat, God’s people, will be separated from the worthless chaff. It’s a terrifying reality that some who call themselves God’s people fail to actually be God’s people.
But Christians aren’t meant to live in terror, frantically examining our fruit and others’ to see if we’re really God’s children. Self-examination has its place, however, the greatest assurance we have is that we’re trusting in Jesus today. So what hope do we have when at times, we’re fruitless, or at least appear to be?
Jesus tells a parable in Luke 13:6-9 about a planter and a tree that takes a surprising turn:
And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
While the other passages noted highlight God’s judgment, this one, God’s mercy. Specifically, his patience towards sinners. Despite the lack of fruit, the vinedresser calls for one more year before the tree is cut down. Not only will the tree be spared, but the vinedresser signals that he will tend the tree, adding nutrients. It’s stunning picture of God’s patience when fruit is lacking. There’s a day coming when Jesus will return to judge those in rebellion against him. But for those of us who are tempted to despair when fruit of Spirit seems lacking, remember this parable. Christ, the vinedresser, stands now before the holy Father pleading for his people—for you—showing his nail-pierced hands. He who died for you now lives to make intercession for you. When you feel like a fruitless tree and are tempted to despair, remember the fruitless fig tree that withstood the judgment and lived.
