Monday, November 10, 2014

The barren fig tree



Apart from its value as a food tree, it was regarded as sacred by many people. The ancient Hebrews looked upon the fig tree as a symbol of peace and plenty. Mohammed’s followers called it the "Tree of Heaven."

Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” 

Immediately the tree withered. 

Just as there are trees that should but do not bear fruit, so are there people who deplete resources but give nothing in return. Eventually, like a cursed tree, they too will whither and lose what little they once had. 

A life of lies and delusions is like a tree growing in rocky soil; it's roots are shallow and when the wind shifts it will topple. A life of anger and jealousy is like a tree that never sees the sun; its trunk is stunted, its branches spindly. The smallest spark of light will turn it into firewood. 

(I am grateful for events in my life that inspire me to contemplate and write reflections on Christ's teachings - it adds to my knowledge not through study but by experience.) 

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