Fig trees

"And Jesus said to the tree, "May no one eat your fruit again." And his disciples heard it. Mark 11: 14

I love learning. This is a gift God gave me even before Salvation. My parents fostered that desire to keep learning throughout life. I almost get mad at people that seem to go through their adult life and not seem to crave learning new things. I pray for patience and understanding. 

Today I was reading Chambers which was actually about Jesus clearing the temple. I went to Mark 11 to read the entire chapter because I found it fascinating that Jesus was so angry about those selling things in the temple. Actually, I was thinking of others - churches that sell coffee and rolls at their church. Just like me to start out thinking of who else is violating Jesus' teachings. Then I realized He was talking about me. Chambers personalized this story and said we are now the temple. Wow, that means Jesus gets that angry when we "use" His temple in ways we shouldn't.

 Then I read it. That poor fig tree. I have read it before. This poor fig tree minding his own business on the side of the road. Jesus comes up and curses it because it has no fruit. I have always read this, moved on and not had much curiousity about the fig tree. Just thought it was some wierd object lesson for true Bible scholars. But I had to know. Why did Jesus "curse"( which is pretty serious) this poor fig tree? So, I googled the life cycle of a fig. Interestingly, figs bear fruit twice in the year, Spring and Fall. In the Spring they bear fruit on the old growth. So they should be full of fruit by the time it gets full leaves. This was Spring because it was nearing Passover.

Jesus saw the tree from far off. He was "fooled" into thinking that this tree had fruit by its appearance. (I know, Jesus wasn't really fooled.) It is amazing to me that we take so lightly our lack of fruit. Jesus was so righteously angry that he cursed that tree. He was so righteously angry at the moneychangers that he ransacked their little "flea market". I do not like seeing my Jesus that angry. It just doesn't fit with the persona that I have in my mind. But I can't make Jesus who i want Him to be.

Jesus was hungry, it says it in Mark 11:12. So he came to the tree. I want Jesus to come to my life and look for the fruit and smile to himself and say," yes, I find good fruit here. I find satisfaction in this little fig tree." 

I get a kick out of the end of this verse. "And the disciples heard what he said." Of course they did or the story would never have been retold. Jesus went through this demonstration and the clearing of the temple to teach. He was teaching His small group of men that the old way of worshipping God was over. No more keeping up appearances. The new covenant made each individual the true temple. We are to bear fruit and not use this temple in ways displeasing to God. 

My prayer is to remember how angry Christ can get. Not to live in fear, but to spur me on to greater fruit. To remember that when he cleared that temple it represented clearing out the new temples too. I need to do some "clearing" of myself.