Encouragement

Figs Or Thistles?

by Maria Franco
06/30/24
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A tree is known by the fruit it produces.
In the garden of Eden stood two trees. The tree of Life and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We all know how Satan tricked Eve into eating from the forbidden tree. So much so that God cursed the serpent saying that he would put enmity between him and the woman's offspring. While the serpent would strike his heel, the offspring would crush his head.
This was a prefiguration of the New Eve Mary and her Son Jesus who destroyed the serpent and death forever. This crushing of the serpent happened centuries later in another garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16-20, "Can one gather grapes or thorns, or figs or thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."
Here, Jesus was referring to what comes out of a person's heart. Either goodness or Slander, deceit, arrogance, folly and all that defiles him.
Whilst people throw stones at a tree that produces good fruit in order to bring the fruit down and eat it, something similar is rampant in our society today. Those who produce good fruits with their good works are often brought down by people who cannot bear their success and make every effort to trample over them from the jealous seeds sown in their hearts. They do not allow anyone shining in God's glory to climb up the ladder or be honoured and respected. They wait to strike their heel just as a serpent does.

No one will throw stones at a tree that does not produce any fruit.
We see how Jesus himself cursed the fig tree and ordered it to be cut down and thrown into the fire as it had not borne any fruit at all.  This refers to those who are blessed with talents but remain in a dry state all their life not using the rich fertiliser given by God to grown into a productive and fruitful person.
Yet as Jesus gave the fig tree another year to prove and blossom, he gives us all another chance to repent, wake up from our withered state and bear fruit.

Let us clear the thistles, thorns and brambles from our life to make a clear parting in the woods of our life, a clear way for the tree in our life to stand forth and be seen by others to follow suit. The leaves, fruits and flowers to bloom graciously with our good deeds, spiritual commitments and a desire to give glory to God by reaching high to the skies in our praise of him from whom every good blessing, every inherent talent and every growing moment comes.

As long as we continue and persist in goodness and righteousness, God himself will crush down the plans of the wicked. He who sees our hearts as we sincerely long to bear fruit for his kingdom will protect us to be a lasting fruitful tree all year round.

Mary bore the fruit of God in her womb as we recite in the Hail Mary, 'Blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus'. May we all bear fruit in plenty for the kingdom of God. This fruit should be none other than Jesus Christ as he grows in our minds, hearts and souls in all the seasons and orchards of our life.

Maria Franco