1 Pt 4:7-13 / Mk 11:11-26
A couple of years before I even considered going to the seminary, I took on the job of arranging chairs in the basement of the church for a prayer meeting. I would go to the basement of the church almost an hour before the meeting, and I took great joy in seeing the chairs lined up “just right.” It was this reading from 1 Peter 4 that I found most satisfying, because I was filling a need for this particular prayer group that no one else wanted to do. At the time I did not do well at public speaking; I could not play a musical instrument; I had no great insights into Scripture. I was just part of the group. But this was a service I could give to God.
I had no clue at that time that God was going to call me into the priesthood. All I knew was that I wanted to be of service to the body of Christ and arranging chairs was one way I could do it. In our Gospel story today, we hear Jesus cursing at a fig tree because it did not produce fruit. The fruit we are called to produce may not be what we expected it to be, and indeed we may be surprised at just how Jesus wants to use us.
Jesus expects us to be fruitful for the sake of the Kingdom. To use a different type of tree, we may think we only have fruit the size of a crabapple to offer in service to the Kingdom. Jesus knows better. He takes what we offer and makes it into the biggest, juiciest, sweetest apple in the Kingdom.
What service have you been called to in your home, in your work, in your church? It may seem like a cliché to say Jesus could use us wherever we are, but there is so much more to in this than any of us realize. Service to the King and the Kingdom is not an option.
Now, let me return to my first story. I was happy to do that simple task for the prayer group. Because I was willing to do that, I believe the Lord called me to greater things. Now I find myself a priest who once was scared to stand in front of people to speak, but now rejoices in being able to share the Word of God. What “simple service” will God use to launch you into deeper service for the sake of His Kingdom? Wait, don’t say no! He knows your full potential. Trust Him. Be a fruitful branch on the vine… or the fig tree… or the apple tree… or wherever He plants you. Oh, and remember, he may uproot you for something else.
