Daily Lesson for May 6, 2014

Daily Lesson is from Matthew 3 verse 10:

"Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

These are the words of John the Baptist whose fiery sermons sounded a lot like, well, a Baptist's.

But the harshness of John's preaching should not keep us from hearing the truth he has to bring to us.  There is almost always a gift of truth in what others are tell is when they speak to us about our lives.  If we are open and not defensive, we can hear the truth and receive it as a gift even when the one who speaking it to us is overbearing, annoying, only partially informed, hyper-critical, selfish, ego-driven, and even hurtful.  There is truth in there, if we can stand to hear it.

So here is the truth that John the Baptist, that hard shell preacher, brings to me.  He reminds me that a tree is judged by its fruit.  He helps me to see that assessment and evaluation are a necessary part of life.  He helps me to ask what is and is not working in my life and in my work.  And then - and this is the hard part - he pushes me towards severance.  John helps me see that there are relationships, programs, projects, endeavors which simply aren't bearing any fruit in my life or work and therefore need to be ended.

That's not something  I want to hear.  It's hard and blunt edged and following through with its implications will no doubt be painful and even grievous.  But it is a truth; and if I am going to grow I have to be willing to hear it.

Postscript: John says that when a tree isn't bearing fruit we are to cut it down and burn it for firewood.  Failure is fuel for the future.  God wastes nothing.