A Vinedresser Worth Emulating!

Luke 13:6-9 John 15:3

In the past, this Gospel reading has caused me to shiver. It doesn’t take much reading between the lines to find ourselves confronted with an intolerant God who is only going to give us so much time to come good, and if we fail, then the signs are, we’ve had it!

If this tree, this life of mine, does not start bearing fruit soon – well, the time will come to cut it down, and presumably, that’s the end of us!

This could well be one of the stories Jesus told that was based on an actual event. He’s saying “ Do you remember that man who had a fig tree and even though he wanted to get rid of it, his Vinedresser kept telling him to give it one more year, allow it a bit more time, for he was sure that it would come good.

When you look at this story from the point of view of the Vinedresser, it suddenly become quite an encouragement. The tree has failed to produce fruit for three whole years,  but this Vinedresser not only wants to give it one more year, he will go to any lengths he can to see that it has the chance to be something.

“Let it alone sir” he pleads “Let me dig around it, put manure on it, and let’s see how it goes”

One of the greatest gifts we have to give to one another is our encouragement. Giving one another the time to bring out the best in ourselves.

Years ago now, I trained as a Samaritan, and I had a mentor whose name was Vi. She had to prepare me for the day when I would start taking calls from the suicidal in the centre down in Worthing. I was very nervous when the phone rang for the first time and I had to answer it.  Vi sat with me gently encouraging me through my first call. What a saint she was, because I was hopeless to begin with. I always say she and other people at the branch gave me more help in pastoral care than any theological college course. People to be alongside you, not give up on you, even when you’re lacking.

There is a link with this bible passage and a section in John 15, where the identity of our vinedresser is revealed. “I am the true vine” says Jesus “ and my father is the Vinedresser.” So God after all, is the one who encourages, and gives life. The man who wanted to cut  down the fig tree was possibly a  Pharisee, for they were so quick to condemn.

Be encouraged then , when you feel your progress is slight, for God gives you all the time you need and tends you with loving care,  and more importantly still, be an encourager of others, when they seem to be floundering or just finding the going tough, for it is upon a vinedresser such as you might be that the kingdom of God depends.

RH 7.3.10