FRUITS ARE EXPECTED

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It becomes apparent with the use of ‘leave it this year also (Luke 13:8) ‘ that the vine dresser for 3 consecutive years, had been having the same conversation with the owner of the vineyard year after year. He just about succeeded in negotiating an extension for a fourth year in a row.

Nonetheless, we begin to wonder “for how long can the same negotiations be held citing the very same unchanging reasons?” There comes a time when even for the most lucrative of contracts, protracted negotiations can be put offs and so they are simply terminated.

The consideration of the vineyard owner comes as a bit of a forceful nudge: Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’

Hard as those words sound, it begs telling and reminding that we not here on earth simply to cover land area. That was the status of the fig tree and the verdict was for it to be cut down. We cannot simply keep ignoring and cycling all the opportunities, lessons and good experiences that make for our growth, have nothing to show for it and expect to be applauded. That should not happen.

If we have no fruits to show after being afforded multiple experiences and opportunities, we may find ourselves in a place where we are asked a rather dreaded question, which the vineyard owner asked posed indirectly to the fig tree: “why should it use up the ground”? You ought to have a good answer for that.

#sly