"In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree besie the road. He went over to see if there were any figs on it, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" And immediately, the fig tree withered up." Matthew 21: 18-19
So I'm just sitting here, reading Matthew right... and then all of a sudden I read this scripture. It stopped me from moving on to the next page of my bible. Usually when that happens, God is trying to show me something. So I read it over, and over, and over again. My initial thought was "Why did he kill that fig tree? Was he still mad about the people selling stuff in the temple?" (The passage before this one talked about that time when Jesus cleared out the temple. You know, knocking stuff around, turning tables over like a boss) So I decided to look in the study part of my bible. The guy that wrote the study portion of my bible said that Jesus wasn't doing this as an act of anger. He was doing this to act out a parable.
I stopped reading at that point, because I think God showed me what he wanted me to see. I believe that Christianity in this time has turned into to something along the lines of a fruitless fig tree. Sure, we may look like we hold tightly to our faith from a distance. But what happens when someone comes closer, and starts peeling away at the walls of your heart? Will you actually have fruit to bear?
Here's the deal. You are God's child. And he loves you with a love that human minds can literally not comprehend because it is so intense. (Read Psalm 103...like for real, do it.) But at the same time, what is love without action? What if your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/parent/whoever else told you and everyone else they loved you, but in all reality ignored you? What kind of love is that?
Jesus likes it when his followers are fruity. Yeah, I said it. Because it's truth! The guy KILLED a fig tree because it looked like it was doing its job, but it wasn't. That's like a super watered down version of what will happen to those who look like they're Christians, but bear no fruit.
"Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. They decisive issue is whether they obey my father in heaven. On judgement day many will tell me, 'Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name,' But I will reply 'I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.' " Matthew 7:21-23
Jesus desperately wants you, right where you are at. He wants you, he wants your life. And, if he TRULY has it, your fruit production will be kickin'.
Let's make fruit, people.
