“Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ At once the fig tree withered.” — Matthew 21:18–19, CSB
It’s Tuesday of Holy Week, and Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. As He walks, He sees a fig tree by the road, full of leaves but without fruit—a perfect metaphor for the spiritual condition He’s about to confront.
In that moment, He curses the tree—not because He’s hungry, but because the tree was all show and no substance. It wasn’t producing what it was meant to. It had the appearance of life but was barren on the inside.
This moment isn’t just about a tree—it’s a warning about how we live. Jesus wants our faith to be real and active, not just something we show on the outside. When our faith is all leaves and no fruit, we miss the point of why we follow Him.
Drawing #Closer to God Through Faith
To “abide” means to remain closely connected with Jesus. It’s not just about going through religious motions or trying to do good things for the sake of it. Abiding is about staying in constant relationship with Him—taking time to hear from Him, being rooted in His love, and allowing Him to change us from the inside out. Abiding means:
- Spending time with Him—prayer, worship, reading Scripture, or simply sitting in His presence.
- Listening to Him—paying attention to what He says in His Word and in the quiet of your heart.
- Trusting Him—believing He can shape and grow us into the people He made us to be.
Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” (John 15:5, CSB)
A Tuesday Practice: Abide and Bear Fruit
Take a moment to reflect on your connection with Jesus. Are you truly staying close to Him? Or have you been more focused on appearances, without actually abiding in Him? What fruit is your life bearing? Is your faith evident in your relationships, actions, and words? Or have you just been going through the motions—leaves without fruit?
Here’s how to start bearing the fruit that Jesus desires:
- Abide. Take time today to simply be with Jesus.
- Ask. Pray: “Lord, what is in my life that needs to bear more fruit for You?”
- Act. If something comes to mind—whether it’s a relationship, an attitude, or a habit—respond by inviting Jesus into it. Trust Him to help you change.
Don’t settle for leaves without fruit. True life comes from being rooted in Jesus. Let today be a fresh opportunity to abide and allow Him to grow the fruit that only He can produce in you.
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