For me, a fascinating thing about life is that God gives all things the ability to learn, change and grow.
We can create, produce and have an impact. Not just us, but plants, trees, animals, mountains, forests, and oceans!
Even down to the cellular level, our skin cell produces a strand of hair.
Production is expected of us and something we expect of ourselves to feel good about ourselves.
But is it solely up to us to produce?
The Parable of The Barren Fig Tree
While walking the earth, Jesus was often telling stories with agricultural or nature metaphors to teach profound insights.
Here is one of my favorites:
Then [Jesus] told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit from it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground? And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit in the next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
Luke 13:6-9
To start the story, we have the voice of truth that speaks to the demands of reality. He has a fruit tree that he expects to bear fruit. But there is no fruit, and he is willing to take drastic action.
The gardener speaks up and advocates for the tree. He takes responsibility for the lack of fruit. He is willing to do some work and get his hands dirty. Bring in some manure, what the tree needs to help it thrive.
And thirdly is the requirement to give it some time. See how the tree responds to the fertilizer. Give it a second chance. Allow it to bear fruit in its season. Wait another year, and if there is no fruit, then I will cut it down.
Undeserved Favor
For me, the highlight of this story is the voice of grace that the gardener represents. He doesn’t minimize the expectation; he speaks up and advocates for the growth process and buys some time.
When there is an area of our life, we are hoping to experience growth, the harsh voice, the inner critic is always the loudest. You should do this…Or…You ought to do better. You get what you deserve.
But we will never bear fruit if that’s the only voice we hear.
We need to make room in our heart for Jesus, the voice of grace, to speak up and show us his kindness. He is the one who provides second chances and third and fourth and fiftieth and sixtieth!
And the Holy Spirit who is always present with is.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14:26
Grace, after grace. He has only ever been fully patient with me.
Transition Points
Think about the times in your life you went through a transition. It may have been leaving High School and entering College. Graduating from college and entering the workforce. Finding love, getting married or starting a family. Or maybe there was a time when you went through a career transition.
These moments of transition are inflection points of growth in our lives. It is when we leave an old way of being and enter into a new one. Transition points are significant moments in our development.
Reflecting on transition points always comes with mixed feelings. There are joy and pride in realizing new growth and gratitude for who we have become. But when we are in the process of transition, it can feel very disorienting.
Earlier this year, I mapped out the transition points that I had been through. Something that surprised me was that at each of the points, God brought someone into my life that supported me and guided me through the transition.
Who Helped You Become Who You Are?
How about you? When you reflect on the times in your life, you went through a transition, was there a relationship that you leaned on?
Who was it that guided you through a challenging season in your life?
When we acknowledge the people who have been supporting, it not only honors them, but it bears witness to growth we have experienced in our lives.
By reflecting on these people, you can also see the types of support that were helpful.
They may not have been direct or overt, or it may not have been clear the transition you are were going through. But you knew they were in it with you and on your side.
Or maybe they were harsh and gave an ultimatum like the orchard owner in Luke 13:6-9 that said: “Cut it down!”
Take some time right now and reflect:
Who helped you become who you are?
What about their support was most helpful?
Find a way to honor them today.
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God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Psalm 46:1-3
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