Luke 13:6-9 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. 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?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

PATIENCE! Are we patient with our fellow believer? Are we patient with the new convert? Are we patient with ourselves? Jesus' parable reveals a man who is not patient. He figured he waited long enough for the tree to bear fruit, even though most of the time fig trees do not bear fruit until the fourth or fifth year of maturity. He was unreasonably impatient; he wanted quick results from a juvenile tree. Fortunately for the tree, the gardner intercedes and offers it care and fertilizer to bring forth a harvest the next year.

This parable is a good example for us Christians to be patient with each other and ourselves. Sometimes we are in a juvenile stage in our spiritual growth. In some areas of our lives we might be mature, productive, but in other areas we might be immature, still an unfruitful juvenile. For some of us, our marriages are like that: we might not treat our mates with the deference and kindness they deserve. Maybe in our friendships we take advantage of our friends, acting haughty and aloof without brotherly affection. Maybe we are just not the kind of person we should be towards others who care about us; we lack gentleness and concern for others. If so, we are definitely not bearing fruit; we are like a juvenile fig tree. In those areas, we need God's help. We need him to fertilize us with his Word. We need his hands tenderly working around our roots, softening our spirits to receive his love and goodness. We need the Holy Spirit's voice within our lives, teaching, guiding, and shaping us into Christ's image.

A fruit bearing life is a servant life. We must expend energy to bear fruit for others. We best serve our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, when we serve others. All of us are in different stages of servanthood, of maturity. All of us have different parts of our lives that are dormant and lack spiritual life. But God is patient, constantly teaching us about his image, his will. When we are unloving, He tells us to love, to do good to others. When we are arrogant and selfish, He asks us to be humble and generous. When we are bitter and morose, He instructs us about joy, his wonderful joy. When our tempers explode, He pushes patience upon us. When harshness and judgment permeate our souls, He reminds us of grace and mercy. When bitterness and anger entangle our spirits, He talks to us about how peace and goodness reveal God. When faithlessness and fear control our souls, He tells us faith stabilizes us, and He offers that faith as a free gift. HIS DESIRE IS THAT WE WOULD BE FRUITFUL IN EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES, reflecting his image, the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Today, tune your spiritual ear to the Master's voice. Let him work tenderly around your roots with his WORD as He waters and feeds your soul. When you feel dry and useless, flee to him for He is patient and understanding and knows your need. He will restore you, make every part of your life fruitful as you allow him to complete his perfect work in you. If you find an area in your life where you know you are not fruitful, seek his face, rejoice in his presence, rely on him, and He will cause you to abound in that area. He will smother you with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Through his loving care, God will make you grow; He will bring fruit into your life. Rejoice, He is the tender, loving, faithful Gardner.