Friday Thought -- June 24, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, “For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.”'"  (Luke 13:6-9)

There are two men in this parable – the owner of the vineyard and the caretaker. Which of the two displays more of the character of God? The answer is obvious – it is the caretaker.

The owner is impatient. He has waited an appropriate length of time – three years – and has not received any return on his investment. For him, patience ran out and it was time to do away with the unfruitful plant.

The caretaker demonstrates an abundance of patience. He, too, had waited three years to see the vine produce fruit and his efforts had been wasted. In fact, he is the one who had put in the work on the plant. He had the most invested. Still, he was patient. He didn’t want to give an appropriate amount of time – not just what was expected. He wanted to go above and beyond with patience. He was willing to put in more than the expected labor in order to see the plant flourish.

God demonstrates patience like that of the caretaker. He is the one who puts in the work to produce fruit in our lives. He has the most invested. Still, he is patient. He doesn’t want to just be satisfied to put in the appropriate amount of effort to see our lives change. He goes above and beyond with patience.

But note, too, that even the caretaker’s patience had a limit. He was willing to invest one more year of work and waiting. But the end of the next year and he, too, would be done. His patience would run out.

So, too, God’s patience has a limit. He’ll put in far more than is expected in an effort to see change in our lives. But a time comes when His patience will finally run out.

His, by Grace,

Steve