Article by: Darrell Greene
Director of Pastoral Care & Counseling
Cornerstone Conference IPHC
Let’s Give It One More Year
This statement is taken from a parable spoken by Jesus in Mark 13:8-9. It concerns a man who hand planted a fig tree in his vineyard. For three years he came to harvest time and expected to find fruit being produced from his latest venture. Unfortunately and disappointedly, according to verse 7, he found none. It was an empty and unfulfilled expectation…He found none!
After three years of utter frustration, the word of judgment came quickly. “CUT IT DOWN!!” demanded the owner, “Why cumbereth it the ground? We are wasting time ,space and effort with this rebellious fig tree!” Here’s where the story takes a surprising turn and offers the lesson of the parable to us. The servant says, “Master, let me work with it one more year. Let me dig deeper and stimulate growth. If it does not work, we’ll discard it…. but for now, just one more year.”
For so many of us, myself included, maybe we should embrace this lesson of the parable for this year. We may say, “what’s the use? I’ve been working with this plan or that project in my life for a number of years with no results. Maybe its a self image, maybe it’s a damaged relationship, maybe it’s a personal goal, maybe it’s a ministry vision. Whatever it is ….consider ….is it worth one more year? If the answer is yes, then the challenge is to focus. Do something different this year. Dig deeper, contribute more intensive innovative elements for growth and potential for success.
It’s interesting to note that Jesus doesn’t tell us what happened the next year. We don’t know if it worked or not. I’m sure that’s the point. What happens next year is yet to be determined by us. God allows each of us to write our own end to this story. If the Lord of the Vineyard allows it, let’s give it all we’ve got…..one more year.
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