Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away. Matthew 21:18-19
As I was reading this passage recently, Jesus’ humanity struck me. Because we have yet to encounter Jesus physically walking on the earth as He did in those days, we often fail to remember He had all the needs we have. He got hungry! He came across a fig tree with beautiful leaves, one that seemed to have all the signs of being a fruitful plant of His Father’s creation that would be able to satiate His hunger. Yet, upon further examination, it had no figs. Talk about disappointment.
I began think about our relationship with Jesus, and that while He may no longer physically hunger for food in the natural world, He is still a person who hungers for His people. And we can very easily be like this fig tree; all leaves and no fruit. In relationship with Him, are we expecting Him to do all the providing (as He is The Provider) or do we see ourselves in a reciprocating relationship with Him, where when He is hungry He finds fruit on us? Can we feed Him with true worship, praise and obedience or do we just proclaim with our lips His importance and dress ourselves to look the part without having much substance for Him?
Pair this story with the other fig tree parable found in Luke 13:6-9 and it makes me want to examine my life to make sure I’m bearing some fruit along with the leaves! Help us, Lord, to live our lives in such a way that we honor and supply You with the praises of our lips and the fruit of our lives.