God’s Faithfulness to Our Growth

Jesus taught a parable about a fig tree. After three years and bearing no fruit, the owner told his gardener to cut it down, but the gardener said, “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 13:8-9)

The gardener’s response is revealing.

God isn’t as rash or quick to write us off. He’s looking down the road, and even though we’re bearing no fruit He’ll do those things that will help us be fruitful.

The gardener dug around the tree and exposed the roots. He removed all that stopped or hindered the tree from receiving the necessary water and nutrients to help it become fruitful. Up to this point the tree was receiving just enough to survive, giving the appearance of being fruitful, but not enough to bear fruit.

Of the fig tree that Jesus encountered, it had the appearance of fruit, but bearing none Jesus cursed the tree and it withered and died from the roots up (Mark 11:20-21).

Many believers receive only enough nutrients to survive giving the world the appearance of being fruitful, but they’re bearing no fruit. They may go to church and read devotionals, but they neglect their God given gifts and talents.

In His parable of the talents Jesus said that the man who buried his talent should be cast out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Yet God’s desire is to dig down to our roots, exposing our soul and spirit to these nutrients so that we can produce fruit. He’ll churn up the hardened soil of our hearts and remove from our lives all those things that hinder the nutrients of His word and water of the Holy Spirit.

But a word of caution, after He’s done what’s necessary and we still bear no fruit, He says, “cut it down.” God is longsuffering but not forever suffering.