Pretty soon, the trees and flowers will be budding, showing off new life for all to see. Those buds are the precursor of the bloom. They give us hope; we know the flowers are coming.
But when I look in the mirror, do I see buds…or bare branches? John 15:8 tells us, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourself to be my disciples.”
We talked about the parable of the fig tree on Sunday – the one that had produced no fruit for three years (Luke 13:1-7). The owner said to the caretaker of the vineyard, “Cut it down! Why should I let it use up the soil?”
The caretaker replied, “Sir, leave it alone for one more year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.”
That fertilizer? It stinks. Frankly, it’s mostly manure. But it has its purpose. And for it to work well, the ground has to be broken up. The fertilizer has to be worked in. It’s harsh, even painful.
What stinks in my life? My attitude. My impatience. My self-importance.
“Don’t be afraid of the manure,” our pastor said.
Bring on the shovel. Break that stuff up good, work it in, even if it’s painful. I’ll smile – and so will my Father – when that earthy aroma clears away and is replaced by fragrant buds and blooms.
Linking up today with Michelle at Graceful for Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday and Jen at Finding Heaven Today for Soli deo Gloria.
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