Yesterday, we noticed that right after Jesus’ call to repentance (“change your mind and amend your ways”), he told this story:

Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was a man who planted a fig tree in his orchard. But when he came to gather fruit from his tree he found none, for it was barren and had no fruit. So he said to his gardener, ‘For the last three years I’ve come to gather figs from my tree but it remains fruitless. What a waste! Go ahead and cut it down!’ “But the gardener said, ‘Sir, we should leave it one more year. Let me fertilize and cultivate it, then let’s see if it will produce fruit. If it doesn’t bear fruit by next year, we’ll cut it down.’” (Luke 13.6 – 9, The Passion Translation)

If the fig tree represents God’s people (the nation Israel in this context), what fruit was he looking for? Isaiah is clear:

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice,
but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness,
but behold, an outcry! (Isaiah 5.7, ESV)

The fruit of justice and righteousness: two of the 6Ms of fruitfulness we have written about before. (These come from Mark Greene’s book Fruitfulness on the Frontline.)

• Model godly character (“righteousness”)
• Make good work
• Minister grace and love
• Mold culture
• be a Mouthpiece for truth and justice
• be a Messenger of the gospel

Tomorrow I’ll share a bit about the importance of little things in molding culture – one of the 6Ms. For today, let’s pray for righteousness and justice…in our country, in the aftermath of the election, and in our lives – it’s the fruit God is seeking.

Manifest your Kingdom on earth. (Luke 11.2, The Passion Translation)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14.17, ESV)

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4.16 – 19, ESV)

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20.21, ESV)