Luke 13:6-8
6. 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. 7. 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?’
8. ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'”
In this Parable Jesus points out the importance of grace truth and time in the recovery process. In many ways our lives have become like the tree. Unproductive and fruitless. We anesthetize ourselves with alcohol, drugs, sex, or whatever feels good in order to feel like surviving. In truth, when our lives become like this, we are just wasting space in the master’s garden. It would be better that we were cut down, and the space we take up could be used by other hopefully more fruitful plants.
The Master Gardener takes a look at the tree through the eyes of grace. He knows just what it will take to get the tree back on track. Instead of seeing a withering tree that bears no fruit, he sees how the tree can look. Full of life and bearing much fruit.
He will dig around the roots, and break up the hard ground that had compacted over many years of neglect. This will release the bondage that the tree is in, and allow it to spread out its roots over a larger area. He will also add nutrients to the soil that will renew the life of the tree.
Over a period of time, this tree will come back living a life that is full, and bearing much fruit. Isn’t that what we want for our lives?