Bearing Fruit
Almost five years ago I planted fig trees along my fence in my back yard. A dear friend of mine decided he no longer wanted the trees that were blocking his wife’s Southern Living style holiday decorations on their house. He asked me if I wanted the trees. How could I say no? I gladly agreed to dig up the massive cluster of fig trees, and filled the bed of my truck with their bulk. I broke the root ball into around four different chunks and transplanted them at my house.
The next spring the trees sprouted new leaves but weren’t established enough to bear fruit. Although these trees were well established in their previous plot of land, the disruption and relocation stunted their fruit production for a couple years. Fast forward to last year, we got our first fruits from these repatriated fig trees. My wife happily picked ripe figs here and there, eating them as she went. Although that first year didn’t offer a massive yield of fruit, we were happy to see the figs.
This season was a different story. The trees were so robust and full, we had to prune them back. The branches were weighted down with so many figs we could barely harvest them all. Many of the figs were thrown to our pet tortoises, or left for the birds and squirrels. My discouragement that first year after the toil of digging up the trees and replanting was supplanted by my joy when I saw the overflow just a few short years later.
There is a scripture in the book of Matthew (7:15-20) that talks about how to recognize people that are following Jesus. It says: 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. The analogies of bearing fruit are recurrent throughout the Bible. Many people can fake the funk, but you can’t fake the fruit.
The friend I received the fig trees from is one of the wisest and devout believers I know. There isn’t a judgmental bone in his body, and he embodies the true love and essence of Jesus. He also often finds himself at odds with mainline Christianity—although he’s been devoted to the service of the church in one way or another for over thirty years—but that’s what I love about him most. His fruit is evident, both the physical fruit from the trees he gifted me, and the metaphysical fruit in the way his life reflects Christ. He has poured into my life in ways that have enriched my soul and emboldened my faith.
The lessons I learned from digging up his trees and transplanting them in my garden taught me more about the life of a devoted Christian, than just the value of having a fruit tree on my property. The first thing I learned is that toiling in the soil, prying the roots away from the lawn, and lifting each heavy tree into my truck was hard work. If you want to bear fruit, you’ve got to put in the work!
The work doesn’t stop when you dig up the old trees, or become a believer. You don’t just automatically start bearing fruit. You first have to prepare the soil. You have to dig down deep and make room for the new trees in the soil. On a spiritual level, once we start our faith journey, we have to dig deeply into God’s word, and let it fertilize our hearts. The trees will need to be watered and tended to carefully, and will initially go through a season of dormancy until they are reestablished. The growth isn’t evident, but it’s happening below the surface. The same would be true about our inner life. You can fake a confession of faith but you can’t fake a change of heart. The heart change is what people notice, it’s the fruit you hope to bear as you align yourself more closely with the teachings of Jesus.
The fruit comes in a specific season. Once all other parameters are met, the fruit has to develop. In the case of figs, they develop fruit after a few years, but the fruit will often stay green. The tree is still immature and only mature trees both produce a fruit AND see it ripen into “good fruit.” Another interesting fact about figs is that many of them require a specialized pollinator wasp to burrow inside the fruit to pollinate it. That indwelling is similar to believers too in that in order to bear the fruits of the spirit, you’ve got to have the Holy Spirit within you. How about that?
The trees, just like us, have bad years and rough seasons. There may be periods of drought or disease that make it harder to produce fruit, but once the tree has been firmly established it will continue to produce good fruit in due season. I love these lessons from nature that are transcribed in the scriptures. Jesus himself came back and appeared as if he were a gardener. His sacrifice allowed him to be a substitute for Adam, the first gardener. The event on Golgotha reestablished our Eden-like relationship with God that was destroyed after an event with a smooth-talking serpent, and a forbidden fruit. There are lessons everywhere if we take the time to see them. It’s hard not to be in awe of the creator as we spend time in creation. I challenge you to take a walk outside and think about the complexities of nature, and then apply them spiritually if you can. If you can’t, that’s ok too, you’ll bear fruit in due season.
Go visit my good friend’s website and check out his blog, his books, and get to know the man who has enriched my life in ways I have yet to be able to adequately put to words : https://www.johnthecatalyst.com
This is another great one from you! Hitting your stride! Well, I always enjoy your writings, but this one speaks to me today, especially. Keep them coming!!!