DAILY DEVOTION: "Produce"

Day 14: Produce

Scripture: (Matthew 21) 18-22 In the morning, as He was returning to the city, He became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, He went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.  43 Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.

Author: Jason Wall

Matthew 21 begins with Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem where He is greeted with blessings and joy. However, the tides soon turn as Jesus enters the temple and rebukes those who have turned it into a “robbers’ den”.  He then retires to Bethany to stay the night. Verse 18 picks up with His return, along with His disciples, to the city of Jerusalem. In the past, while reading and contemplating this passage, verse 22 seems to capture my attention and affection. If I pray with complete faith, I will receive. I do not doubt the omnipotence of God and try not take for granted the privilege of prayer. Nonetheless, the occasion I commonly overlook is the event which draws the disciples’ attention. Christ speaks to a fruitless fig tree, and it immediately withers.

Fruitless – bearing no fruit; unproductive; useless.

As Christ continues to Jerusalem, where His authority is questioned and He continually rebukes the religious leaders, He proceeds to teach in parables to better illustrate ideas that may otherwise perplex His audience. But, again in verse 43, Christ revisits the idea of “producing the fruit” of His Kingdom. The same disciples listening to Christ speak this parable to the doubting ‘religious’ crowd are the same disciples who witnessed Christ wither a fruitless fig tree. Surely, they grasped the insignificance of a fruitless tree. Better stated, they realize the significance of bearing fruit.

I am very busy. I always have a to-do list that never seems to be completed. I commonly become self-consumed, short-sighted, and grumpy. I struggle with taking time to pray as I should – faithfully, without doubting as described in verse 21. The importance of such prayer should never be overlooked. But do I bear fruit? That part of the passage is easily overlooked. Do those in my realm of influence see my business and grumpiness, or can they enjoy my fruit? Are you producing fruit? Christ has no use for a fruitless fig tree.  I pray my focus, my time, and my efforts will be better centered on producing the fruit that matters.