HAPPY, MEANINGFUL & FRUITFUL YEAR 2026!!
Hi, good morning and blessed greetings of 2026!! How are you doing??
For nearly three weeks, I posted on the birth story of Yeshua, and we have come to a logical conclusion. I have taken you through the theological significance and implications of the pre-birth, birth and post-birth narratives. For today’s reflection, I was looking at this passage: Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing 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).
In this short parable about a fig tree, Yeshua speaks of imminent judgment. The parable reinforces ideas from the first half of this passage (Luke 13:1-5). A cultivated yet unproductive tree may continue to live even without bearing fruit, only because it has been granted additional time to do what it is supposed to do. Unless it begins to bear fruit, the result will be its just and swift destruction. The tone of the parable emphasises that patience and mercy temporarily keep judgment at bay. And the role of the gardener offers a crucial characterisation of this patience and mercy. The tree has not been left to its own devices. Everything possible is being done to get it to act as it should. Correspondingly, God does not leave people to their own resources but encourages their repentance.
Every fruit has a specific fruit with a pre-defined taste. The fig tree holds significant symbolic meaning throughout the Bible, often representing Israel, prosperity, judgment, and spiritual lessons. In the Old Testament, the fig tree, alongside the vine, is emblematic of the Promised Land's abundance (1 Kg 4), God’s righteous and just judgment (Jer 8:13).
Yeshua uses the fig tree in a parable to teach about readiness and discernment of the times: He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:29-31). Here, the fig tree is a sign of the Kingdom of God, urging believers to be vigilant and prepared by fulfilling their assigned roles and duties.
The fruit of our life shows what kind of person we really are. A coconut tree will produce coconuts, not apples. An apple tree will produce apples, not watermelons. As a reminder, Paul provides a lengthy list for us to learn from. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal 5:22-26). But it all should be adding to the expansion of *God’s Kingdom on Earth.*
In our story, the man illustrates God, who did not leave the tree alone. He certainly has given it special care. When God shows special care for something (or even someone), that care in itself is the manure. If, after a lot of care and concern, the tree doesn’t bear fruit, then there is a problem with the tree, not that of the care. The pronoun “you” here is plural, addressing the Jews collectively. The parable of the unproductive fig tree may be seen as both an individual-personal warning to everyone who hears the word and further as a challenge to everyone who claims to be walking with Baliraja, yet remains non-productive. *"Repent or perish."* Yeshua reminds us that we have been cared for and enriched by the manure of grace to bear fruit. We have to give it back to the one to whom we owe our very existence. We need to learn not to waste the rich blessings we have been given.
The lesson for the individual is that borrowed time is not permanent. God’s patience has a limit. In the parable, the vineyard owner grants another year of life to the tree. In the same way, God in His mercy grants us another day, another hour, another breath. It is we who need to change our perspectives and transform our worldviews. A new one, a different one that doesn’t go in line with the worldly systems, structures and customs. It is then that Yeshua’s entrance into our lives gains new sense and meaning.
Baliraja stands at the door of each person's heart, knocking and seeking to gain entrance and requiring repentance from sin. But if there is no repentance, there cannot be any fruit. His patience will come to an end, and the fruitless ones will be cut down. Remember that we all live on borrowed time. That is why the prophet Isaiah wrote, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. (Is 55:6-7)
Luke, in both the books (Luke-Acts), brings forth the perspective of “repentance”, which has a moral application that implies a new humanity that seeks and gives forgiveness. In other words, it's a re-orientation or re-engineering of ethos and ethics in life from that of the previous one. If life’s fragility demands urgency, then the urgency is more to save life. This spiritual redemption is possible through repentance. Repentance is not just about lip service but an act through a complete shift in one's perspectives, attitudes, approaches, habits, behaviour, philosophy, and ideology towards God, which essentially means people or masses. Baliraja reminds us of one last opportunity to repent and transform so that God’s grace would remain upon us. This implies the emergence of an entirely reoriented *“self”* that aligns with the new consciousness of hope, love, faith and peace.
Let the year 2026 be the one where each one of us is the true fruit-bearing tree rather than the fake ones. Let’s share the love, compassion, righteousness and justice of Yeshua with all those whom society otherwise devalues and discriminates. Have a reflective, trustworthy, meaningful, and fruitful year 2026!!
Hi, good morning and blessed greetings of 2026!! How are you doing??
For nearly three weeks, I posted on the birth story of Yeshua, and we have come to a logical conclusion. I have taken you through the theological significance and implications of the pre-birth, birth and post-birth narratives. For today’s reflection, I was looking at this passage: Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing 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).
In this short parable about a fig tree, Yeshua speaks of imminent judgment. The parable reinforces ideas from the first half of this passage (Luke 13:1-5). A cultivated yet unproductive tree may continue to live even without bearing fruit, only because it has been granted additional time to do what it is supposed to do. Unless it begins to bear fruit, the result will be its just and swift destruction. The tone of the parable emphasises that patience and mercy temporarily keep judgment at bay. And the role of the gardener offers a crucial characterisation of this patience and mercy. The tree has not been left to its own devices. Everything possible is being done to get it to act as it should. Correspondingly, God does not leave people to their own resources but encourages their repentance.
Every fruit has a specific fruit with a pre-defined taste. The fig tree holds significant symbolic meaning throughout the Bible, often representing Israel, prosperity, judgment, and spiritual lessons. In the Old Testament, the fig tree, alongside the vine, is emblematic of the Promised Land's abundance (1 Kg 4), God’s righteous and just judgment (Jer 8:13).
Yeshua uses the fig tree in a parable to teach about readiness and discernment of the times: He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:29-31). Here, the fig tree is a sign of the Kingdom of God, urging believers to be vigilant and prepared by fulfilling their assigned roles and duties.
The fruit of our life shows what kind of person we really are. A coconut tree will produce coconuts, not apples. An apple tree will produce apples, not watermelons. As a reminder, Paul provides a lengthy list for us to learn from. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal 5:22-26). But it all should be adding to the expansion of *God’s Kingdom on Earth.*
In our story, the man illustrates God, who did not leave the tree alone. He certainly has given it special care. When God shows special care for something (or even someone), that care in itself is the manure. If, after a lot of care and concern, the tree doesn’t bear fruit, then there is a problem with the tree, not that of the care. The pronoun “you” here is plural, addressing the Jews collectively. The parable of the unproductive fig tree may be seen as both an individual-personal warning to everyone who hears the word and further as a challenge to everyone who claims to be walking with Baliraja, yet remains non-productive. *"Repent or perish."* Yeshua reminds us that we have been cared for and enriched by the manure of grace to bear fruit. We have to give it back to the one to whom we owe our very existence. We need to learn not to waste the rich blessings we have been given.
The lesson for the individual is that borrowed time is not permanent. God’s patience has a limit. In the parable, the vineyard owner grants another year of life to the tree. In the same way, God in His mercy grants us another day, another hour, another breath. It is we who need to change our perspectives and transform our worldviews. A new one, a different one that doesn’t go in line with the worldly systems, structures and customs. It is then that Yeshua’s entrance into our lives gains new sense and meaning.
Baliraja stands at the door of each person's heart, knocking and seeking to gain entrance and requiring repentance from sin. But if there is no repentance, there cannot be any fruit. His patience will come to an end, and the fruitless ones will be cut down. Remember that we all live on borrowed time. That is why the prophet Isaiah wrote, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. (Is 55:6-7)
Luke, in both the books (Luke-Acts), brings forth the perspective of “repentance”, which has a moral application that implies a new humanity that seeks and gives forgiveness. In other words, it's a re-orientation or re-engineering of ethos and ethics in life from that of the previous one. If life’s fragility demands urgency, then the urgency is more to save life. This spiritual redemption is possible through repentance. Repentance is not just about lip service but an act through a complete shift in one's perspectives, attitudes, approaches, habits, behaviour, philosophy, and ideology towards God, which essentially means people or masses. Baliraja reminds us of one last opportunity to repent and transform so that God’s grace would remain upon us. This implies the emergence of an entirely reoriented *“self”* that aligns with the new consciousness of hope, love, faith and peace.
Let the year 2026 be the one where each one of us is the true fruit-bearing tree rather than the fake ones. Let’s share the love, compassion, righteousness and justice of Yeshua with all those whom society otherwise devalues and discriminates. Have a reflective, trustworthy, meaningful, and fruitful year 2026!!
HAPPY, MEANINGFUL & FRUITFUL YEAR 2026!!
Hi, good morning and blessed greetings of 2026!! How are you doing??
For nearly three weeks, I posted on the birth story of Yeshua, and we have come to a logical conclusion. I have taken you through the theological significance and implications of the pre-birth, birth and post-birth narratives. For today’s reflection, I was looking at this passage: Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing 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).
In this short parable about a fig tree, Yeshua speaks of imminent judgment. The parable reinforces ideas from the first half of this passage (Luke 13:1-5). A cultivated yet unproductive tree may continue to live even without bearing fruit, only because it has been granted additional time to do what it is supposed to do. Unless it begins to bear fruit, the result will be its just and swift destruction. The tone of the parable emphasises that patience and mercy temporarily keep judgment at bay. And the role of the gardener offers a crucial characterisation of this patience and mercy. The tree has not been left to its own devices. Everything possible is being done to get it to act as it should. Correspondingly, God does not leave people to their own resources but encourages their repentance.
Every fruit has a specific fruit with a pre-defined taste. The fig tree holds significant symbolic meaning throughout the Bible, often representing Israel, prosperity, judgment, and spiritual lessons. In the Old Testament, the fig tree, alongside the vine, is emblematic of the Promised Land's abundance (1 Kg 4), God’s righteous and just judgment (Jer 8:13).
Yeshua uses the fig tree in a parable to teach about readiness and discernment of the times: He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:29-31). Here, the fig tree is a sign of the Kingdom of God, urging believers to be vigilant and prepared by fulfilling their assigned roles and duties.
The fruit of our life shows what kind of person we really are. A coconut tree will produce coconuts, not apples. An apple tree will produce apples, not watermelons. As a reminder, Paul provides a lengthy list for us to learn from. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal 5:22-26). But it all should be adding to the expansion of *God’s Kingdom on Earth.*
In our story, the man illustrates God, who did not leave the tree alone. He certainly has given it special care. When God shows special care for something (or even someone), that care in itself is the manure. If, after a lot of care and concern, the tree doesn’t bear fruit, then there is a problem with the tree, not that of the care. The pronoun “you” here is plural, addressing the Jews collectively. The parable of the unproductive fig tree may be seen as both an individual-personal warning to everyone who hears the word and further as a challenge to everyone who claims to be walking with Baliraja, yet remains non-productive. *"Repent or perish."* Yeshua reminds us that we have been cared for and enriched by the manure of grace to bear fruit. We have to give it back to the one to whom we owe our very existence. We need to learn not to waste the rich blessings we have been given.
The lesson for the individual is that borrowed time is not permanent. God’s patience has a limit. In the parable, the vineyard owner grants another year of life to the tree. In the same way, God in His mercy grants us another day, another hour, another breath. It is we who need to change our perspectives and transform our worldviews. A new one, a different one that doesn’t go in line with the worldly systems, structures and customs. It is then that Yeshua’s entrance into our lives gains new sense and meaning.
Baliraja stands at the door of each person's heart, knocking and seeking to gain entrance and requiring repentance from sin. But if there is no repentance, there cannot be any fruit. His patience will come to an end, and the fruitless ones will be cut down. Remember that we all live on borrowed time. That is why the prophet Isaiah wrote, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. (Is 55:6-7)
Luke, in both the books (Luke-Acts), brings forth the perspective of “repentance”, which has a moral application that implies a new humanity that seeks and gives forgiveness. In other words, it's a re-orientation or re-engineering of ethos and ethics in life from that of the previous one. If life’s fragility demands urgency, then the urgency is more to save life. This spiritual redemption is possible through repentance. Repentance is not just about lip service but an act through a complete shift in one's perspectives, attitudes, approaches, habits, behaviour, philosophy, and ideology towards God, which essentially means people or masses. Baliraja reminds us of one last opportunity to repent and transform so that God’s grace would remain upon us. This implies the emergence of an entirely reoriented *“self”* that aligns with the new consciousness of hope, love, faith and peace.
Let the year 2026 be the one where each one of us is the true fruit-bearing tree rather than the fake ones. Let’s share the love, compassion, righteousness and justice of Yeshua with all those whom society otherwise devalues and discriminates. Have a reflective, trustworthy, meaningful, and fruitful year 2026!!
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