The Leaves and the Fruit

There’s a great illustration that Jesus spoke of in Mark 12 where Jesus sees a fig tree and goes over to it to get a fig to eat, but there is none. Jesus said, “May no one ever eat your fruit again.” Later, as Jesus and His disciples are walking by the same fig tree, they notice it has withered and died. The point here is that if the tree wasn’t going to bear fruit to be used then it was not good for its purpose.

The tree looked okay until Jesus walked over and took a closer look at it. The tree had leaves and looked okay, but upon closer examination it had no fruit. It was of no real value because it was a fruit tree.

The point being made here is that each one of us has been created by God, planted here on earth during this time period, to use our lives bearing fruit for His kingdom work. Some could care less, and then some want look like they are representing God. They have leaves but never produce any fruit for Him. They produce fruit for themselves and their own life. But these are not fruit trees for God - for a tree does not eat its own fruit. It produces for others. If it keeps its own, then the fruit rots, and it’s still no good for God’s purpose.

We experience many problems in life because we don’t produce fruit for God and, therefore, set ourselves up for a judgment we don’t want to have to experience.

So think on this today. When Jesus takes a good look at you, what does He really see? Fruit that He can use, or just leaves that look good but have no value?