“Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’””
Luke 13:6-9 NLT
http://bible.com/116/luk.13.6-9.
God is so patient.
Me? Not so much!
I read an article tonight about why kids are bored in school. Several reasons intrigued me. One of those really struck home when they said school does not give enough instant gratification. Your hard work and dedication to school or a job may not pay dividends for years. Our "video game" society is used to instant success or enjoyment. We stop doing it and do something else. If a kid is not good at a sport or a varsity starter, right away, they quit. They don't want to put in the extra effort and time to develop their skills.
As a Christian, I can fall in to the same trap. I have known some of my biker friends for years and they still haven't accepted Christ. It would be easy to give up on them and move on to someone new. We could become bored with the lack of ACTION on their part. I need to have the same patience as my Heavenly Father has given me. He never gives up on me. He continues to love me unconditionally and works on my heart. His love endures forever is just as much about patience as it is about Gods love. Endurance is about staying the course, providing consistent guidance for the lost.
We may never see the fruits of our work. Someone else might be the harvester. Yet, we need to continue to serve. We need to remain ever faithful and judgment free. We need to endure.
Praise God he has been patient with me and my slow growth as one of his followers.
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