March 26, 2024
Tuesday, March 26, 2024:
Read: : Galatians 5:16-25 Selfish Passions
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
There is no law against such things.
And those who belong to Christ have crucified
the flesh with its passions and desires.
(Galatians 5:22-24, ESV)
When my parents bought a home with a peach tree, we looked forward to picking the fruit for mom’s homemade peach pie, cobbler, or just topping off our vanilla ice cream. However, that first year, our vision was not to be. The tree produced only a few mushy peaches, and worm holes infested most of those. After several years of making more of a mess than fruit in the yard, Dad cut it down.
On this second day of Passion Week, after his triumphal entry and an evening in Bethany, Jesus began his day with a trip to the temple. Hungry for food, he passed a fig tree and approached it in hopes of finding something to eat. While the tree bore leaves, he found it bare of the expected fruit. Jesus cursed it. We learn later that the fig tree withered to its roots, never to be restored or bear fruit again (Mark 11:12-14, 20).
We find the message in Jesus’ action by understanding the life of the fig tree. In Judea, fig trees produce immature green figs before coming to full leaf. Once foliage appears, one expects to find branches loaded with figs, which, though not mature, are edible.1 Because the fig tree had leaves, it should also have had figs.
Like my peach tree and the fig tree, God created us to bear good fruit, the fruit of His Spirit found in today’s verse. These virtues manifest the transformation that occurs within us when we follow Christ and walk in step with the Holy Spirit. Yet, doing so requires us to “crucify” our self-interests. It requires us to focus singularly and passionately on Jesus as the Way, the Author and Perfector of our faith.
Be still and Reflect: In what ways do the experiences with the peach tree and the fig tree resonate with your own journey of bearing spiritual fruit? How might God be calling you to think or act differently as you go about your day?
Pray: Gracious Heavenly Father, Just as You created those trees to bear good fruit, so am I. I confess at times my heart has not been aligned with Your Spirit. Like the peach tree, I produced more of a mess than fruit. Forgive me for where I fell short. Teach me to crucify my self-interests. Help me to yield anew to the transformative work of Your Spirit within me. And with my gaze fixed on Jesus, help me pursue a life marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
By His Grace,
Gloria
1The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary, p. 1038.