Are you like the Cursed Fig Tree?

I have always known there was much more to the parable of the cursed fig tree in Matthew than what I have been taught.  I have been taught the fig tree produces its fruit before the leaves, meaning that the fruit is on the tree prior to leaves appearing and when the leaves appear there is no fruit.  There has been something about that I have wondered about for a long time, but here in the last week or so I began to look closely at the parable.  I wondered if the fruit was out of season, then why on earth did Jesus expect to find fruit?  SO, I decided to do a little research on fig trees and the characteristics of them.  I mean, I eat fig newtons, but I have never seen a fig more or less tasted one.  In my research I came across some interesting information.  

First, the fruit begins to grow before the leaves do on a fig tree.  The leaves grow as the fruit grows. I found that interesting, so Jesus had a reasonable expectation that there would be fruit on the tree right?  Well, it says out of season.  That made me wonder, too.  

Second, I found a great article that talks about this parable, which can be found in Matthew 21:18-22, and one of the first things it says is to understand the time of year this was written and when this even was likely to occur and the geographical location of the tree.  All of these things depend on why Jesus would have expected to find fruit on the tree when it may have been considered out of season.   

First of all, fig trees can produce three crops each year if it is in a standard climate, one in the spring, and two later in the season.   However, in parts of Israel, they can produce up to 10 months out of 12 every year because the weather conditions are right. Just knowing that lends credence to the fact that Jesus had a reasonable expectation to find fruit on the tree since He saw leaves.  The fruit does grow first, but it is also the same color as the leaves until it is nearly ripe.  So, the leaves would have masked the fruit and Jesus would not have been able to see the fruit until He got closer to the tree.  Evidently even if the fruit wasn't ripe, it would have still tasted good, tasted like a fig, though it would have been a little dry.  

Now, all of this got me to thinking about us, about our fruit.  We are to produce the fruits of the Spirit if we are walking by the Spirit, right? (Galatians 5:16-26).  So, we should have fruit (love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, etc.) that others can see, but it may be hidden by other things in our lives while it is growing.  Faith may mask the fruit.  Knowledge of scripture and teachings may mask the fruit.  Works of the flesh may mask the fruit we are trying to produce if we are not dying to self and attempting to crucify the works of the flesh.  

We all know people that look good from afar.  They say the right things, they behave in the correct manner.  They know what is expected and they project what is expected.  Christians are really good at this.  We all know scripture we can quote.  We all have our Christianese we speak.  "be blessed."  "I love you with the Love of the Lord."  "I am blessed and highly favored."  The list goes on and on. We can say the right things, but when someone gets close to us and expects to find the fruit of love, of joy, of patience, of peace, of kindness, of gentleness, and they don't find it, then that makes us a hypocrit.  Our witness for Christ is destroyed.  It makes us ineffectual for the Kingdom of God.  Without displaying the fruit that is to be grown as we walk in the spirit, how do we expect to be representatives of the Kingdom of God and the King we serve?  

We are all disciples.  A disciple is simply "a follower or a student of a teacher, leader or philosopher." A student puts into effect what he or she is learning.  My children have all had to take tests to show their comprehension and understanding of the subjects they were learning in school.  As Christains we go through the same thing...except we call them trials and tribulations.  Leaves only on your tree won't sustain you through those trials and tribulations.  Your fruit will.  I think our trials and tribulations can be considered "out of season" times in our lives.  But, 

2 Timothy 4:2  Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

"Longsuffering" is a fruit of the spirit.  How can we "convince, rebuke, exhort" without it?  Are we "slow to anger" with a soft word in response? Are we hearers of the word only not doers? (James 1:19-24).  We have decided throughout the decades in our church teachings that doers are workers.  But, I would like to submit to you that maybe doer, as it is in the original language, is a performer.  Are we "acting out" the word in our lives?  Is our fruit ripe, and obvious for everyone to see when they look at us, at our lives?  After all, a tree is known by its fruit (Matthew 7:15-20).  A good tree bears good fruit.  A bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.  An apple tree cannot bear a pear.  and so forth.  

So, what are you producing?  For me, I don't want to be found lacking the fruit Jesus expects to see in me.  I want to be effectual, not ineffectual, for Christ.  Today, let's examine our interactions with others.  Let's advance the Kingdom with the fruit we are bearing.  Let's show the world we are disciples of Christ by loving one another and extending His love to others.  

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