In typical fashion, Jesus is shaking us up this weekend. At the beginning of the Gospel, people are telling Jesus about some horrible things that have happened and they are wanting answers. We all fall into that space at times, right? Why did this happen? The response Jesus gives is not a pastoral one as He tells them, unless you repent… He goes on to tell a story that at first glance does not seem to connect about a fig tree not bearing fruit. Jesus is not saying things that we want to hear, but rather what we need to hear! We need to change our hearts and minds. We need to head in a different direction!

Throughout the Gospels, the parables Jesus tells are always to teach us a lesson. So what lesson are we to learn this week? We hear about a landowner who wants to cut down a fig tree that is not bearing fruit, but a gardener wants one more year to cultivate the soil and try to get it to bear fruit. Are we judgmental of others, especially at first glance? Are we quick to run away from things that are hard or don’t want to work at things? What areas in our lives need to be cultivated to bear fruit? Do we need to prune an area or do something different to yield a different outcome? Do we see hope in a situation or just turn away? Is God calling you this Lent to repent or head in a different direction? It is hard to make changes, but if we bear fruit with change, it is worth the effort. We only have a finite time in this dwelling place. How can we bear fruit today, as who knows what tomorrow will bring?