March 3, 2013: 3rd Sunday of Lent

And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’

He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’” (Mark 13:1-9)

Have you ever seen a plant that won’t grow? For example, that old apple tree in your back yard isn’t good for much, is it? Maybe we should get rid of it. Like the fig tree in Jesus’ story, you and I are expected to produce fruit – not fruit we eat, but kind words and loving actions that help our neighbors. Sometimes we just don’t do this, but Jesus reminds us and gives us time to improve.

Action:

What can I do, what should I do to become a healthier plant? I can “give fruit” to others by the way I speak and act. Maybe a fellow student or parent needs a friendly word from me. Or perhaps I can think of a neighbor whom I can help in some small way.