18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
I’m not so interested in the mountain being thrown into the sea. I believe in the power of prayer.
I’m more interested in what Jesus did here, not what he said. Did he lose his temper? And the fig tree paid the price? I notice the disciples didn’t think to ask Jesus why he cursed the tree. They really wanted to know how that curse took effect so quickly.
Let’s guess it’s not about the tree…Yet, some folks want to make it all about the tree. After all, the tree was innocent. Which, of course opens up the suggestion that Jesus may have done something wrong here.
You think I’m kidding, right? Well, I’ve heard (a number of times) that this creation would be better off if people were not in it.
Huh? By what measure? Creation exists for mankind…it’s not the other way around. If mankind were not here it, creation could not possibly fulfill its purpose.
So what does the withered fig tree mean? It means that creation has no other purpose than to serve mankind. If it fails to do so…it’s superfluous.
Of course, a wise person would take good care of nature so it can fulfill its purpose for a very long time…
Live boldly out there today…
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