Am I a fig tree showing leaves?

In a world wear your image is king, where you have a better chance of getting away with murder by the types of suits you wear, we have to be careful as Christians to what kinda image we portray to they world. In the gospel account of Mark, Jesus gives us a visual lesson on how a false advertisement of spirituality can really mess up your world.

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

On first glance this seems like a seemingly strange story where Jesus was just a little grumpy due to hunger and this seems like an over reaction, but when you dig deeper in the passage you find it a little bit more insightful than just an over reaction of hunger. A fig tree in the ancient text is a representation of the Jewish people and here Jesus condemns the Jews for their appearance of love for God but not having any kind of fruits to back them up .

This story I believe like most parables Jesus spoke has implications for the Church of today. Now more than ever you hear stories of people hating the Church for various reasons.

The Church is homophobic.
The Church is full of greedy people.
The Church is full of hypocrites.
The Church is full of judgment.
The Church is full of lies.

These are thing that we as the Body of Believers portray. When you read that small list I know that you are saying to your self " No way! That's not my church!" but really we all get painted with that same paint brush.

We as a Body need to examine ourselves and really begin to think of what kind of image we are portraying.

Is our Church and church a refuge for the needy, for the physically and spiritually sick or is it a place where they find condemnation and repulsion?

Are we a community where everyone loves everyone or are we a community where everyone gossips about everyone?

So many stories I hear now a days are about how people have been hurt by the church and that turns them to bitter souls.

Are were putting out that we are a tree full of fruit for you to come and eat of and when you get their we will just leave you disappointed. Or are we a tree that when we catch peoples eyes our fruits are really as satisfying as we put out.

Before we are able to answer the questions for the whole Body we need to look at ourselves.

What kind of tree are you?

What kind of tree do the non-believers see you as?

Are you in full bloom from a far but when it comes down to it you are just as bare as the tree from the passage?

Do you put out that you are in full bloom but really have no fruit to show for it?

Matthew 7v16-20 states

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

So I urge you to think of what kind of tree you are portraying to be.

Do not be caught only bearing leaves but instead enrich the Kingdom with the fruits that you bear.