LEAVES

A few weeks ago I was in a Bible study group discussing FRUIT BEARING, when somebody raised the topic of the Fig tree that Christ cursed in Mark 11:12-14 because it had no fruits even though it wasn’t its season. Am guessing many of us would have questioned that passage too.

Well this is my take on it; The Bible recalls Christ who was hungry saw from afar a tree with leaves, and naturally every tree is supposed to have fruits in and out of season only that these fruits might not be ripe till its season. I also have a Guava tree here at home and year in, year out there are numerous fruits on it even though these fruits don’t get ripe till the middle of the year.

So when Christ came up to the tree He expected to see fruits whether ripe or unripe which would tell Him whether to look for another tree. But He found none!

Christians can be likened to a tree, the leaves, activities and the fruits, the fruit of the Spirit (Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance). Looking at a tree from afar all you might see are its leaves, you might have to approach it to see its fruits. When people look at you and see your activities (leaves) are they impressed enough to come closer? And when they come closer do they find fruits or walk off cursing like Christ did the Fig tree?

Fig leaves have been in this business of activities even right from the beginning. The Bible records that when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and their eyes were “opened” even though it wasn’t closed before. They sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. It wasn’t like they were dressed in any designer clothes or denim before eating the fruits. But that was the devil’s desire, that they should hide themselves from God and pretend to be whom they weren’t. How silly they were to have believed the lie of the devil and hide themselves from the one who created them and had communed with them just as they were.

I would draw two lessons from these two scenarios.

Firstly, the Bible records in Revelations 22:12 that Christ has seen your activities and so He’s coming quickly to reward you. When He comes is He really going to find fruits or just leaves? You decide that.

Secondly, in the words of a very dear friend, you don’t hide your nakedness (your true self) from a close friend. These are the people who are supposed to help you. Like Dr David Oyedepo would say, you can’t fake it and make it. Have you put on Fig leaves too? Faking it before God, the only one who can take you out of whatever challenges you might be going through. God has said that you come boldly to Him, don’t be infected with the Adam and Eve syndrome thinking you can’t approach your maker without hiding your true self. Strip yourselves of those Fig leaves that have being ruining relationships with God since the very beginning.

When I was still in primary school, there was this African cherry (agbalumo) tree that remained relevant till I graduated from school simply because it never seized to satisfy us with its fruits. You can choose to be relevant to the world around you too. Unlike trees that have seasons when they bear fruits, God expects that we are instant in and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). So we don’t choose when to show these fruits. Choose to bear fruits all the time. God bless you.