Fruit vs. Thorns

Mark 4:18-20 (ESV)
And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

This is serious stuff.

Two nights ago, I was hanging out with a couple of good friends on our way to the Pyrotechnics Guild International Convention Finale. For those unfamiliar with this event, it is a week-long celebration of fireworks that comes to West Fargo, ND once every four years, with four public displays. A storm came in shortly before the show was due to start, and my friends began to speak of going to heaven during a fireworks display. My immediate reaction was...huh?... there's so much I have to do here to further the kingdom...have I really ordered my life such that I can and am bearing fruit? What if I haven't... OH! You mean the second coming of Christ? Yeah, that would be amazing.

Whoa. Probably not the right initial reaction.

You see, it got me thinking about bearing fruit, and I had just read this passage in Mark earlier that day. What is it that I have been asked to do? What opportunities have I had to grow stronger and bear fruit for the harvest? Remember what happened to the fig tree that did not bear fruit? (Matt. 21:18-19) What do I do and how do I feel when I try to grow plants and herbs that do not bear fruit? What are they good for without their fruit? If I am bearing fruit, is it good or bad? After all, we also read, "by their fruit you will know them." (Matt 7:19-20)

In this season of life, I am finding an abundance of thorns that threaten the word planted in me. There are distractions abounding that include things as simple as Facebook or sleep. The desire to press on and practice new skills on my violin are sometimes fleeting. It is easy to fear lack of finances and other benefits to having a normal, safe job. It is easier to fear what people think of my leaving a "good job." It is easy to want things like a husband or a vacation or a new wardrobe or a cello. It is easy to choose sleep over the paperwork I need to complete. It is easy to choose fear over action when seeking out audition opportunities. It is easy to succumb to the vices of jealousy for others' talent, direction, connections and attention. In order to have good soil to yield good fruit, we need to clear away some thorns.

Growing fruit is hard, and sometimes you have to hunt well for good fruit. Even at a grocery store. It may not be prominently displayed, but it is there, and it is good. You often have to test it. If it looks good, it may not smell or feel good. Or it might be amazing. I want to bear fruit that is pleasing to my Master. Even if it is not prominently displayed, it makes the fruit no less good. To grow it, I may have to allow some branches to be cut off, but it will only strengthen me and better the fruit in the end.

To conclude, I do often long for heaven. Whenever I feel the pain or lack of reality in a commercial culture, I long to be set free from it and rejoice that there will be such a day for the ultimate reality and love. Today, my job is to work hard with what I have been given to properly tend the soil of my soul and bear fruit in the best way I can, so I might not be ashamed. So, friends, go today and cultivate your garden. Bear fruit so we may someday partake in the joy of the harvest!