"Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted 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)
"Give me another chance. That's all I'm asking." Sometimes, we mess up and fail so often that it may seem as though we are doomed. Then, someone comes along and says, "I'll give you one more chance. I see the good in you. I see the potential." So, lovingly and tenderly, positive words are sown into the life of the 'down and out', and gradually 'fruit' begins to develop. ". . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5: 22-23)
"In the Old Testament, a fruitful tree was often used as a symbol of godly living. Jesus pointed out what would happen to the other kind of tree---the kind that took valuable time and space and still produced nothing for the patient gardener. This was one way Jesus warned his listeners that God would not tolerate forever their lack of productivity. Have you been enjoying God's special treatment without giving anything in return? If so, respond to the Gardener's patient care, and begin to bear the fruit God has created you to produce." (footnote, Life Application Bible)
So, whether you've been blessed and God wants to see a return, or if it's a matter of someone "fertilizing" or feeding into your life---nurturing you back to wholeness---now is your chance to show God and others what you are made of~~the fruit of the Spirit!
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