Fertilizers

We all know people who, beyond accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, never seem to bear any fruit as a Christian. Jesus told this parable, “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down’” (Luke 13:6-9 NIV). I’m now considering the man who cares for the vineyard. He sounds remarkable similar to my grandma and my great aunt, two pillars of faith, who tirelessly dug around and fertilized those in the family who weren’t walking their Christian walk.