Figs in a Basket
Pastor Bill Fix, Taylor Free Methodist Church (MI)

"People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?' And the answer will be, 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods'" (Jeremiah 22:8-9).

This sure got my mind churning as I read and reflected upon the condition of many of our communities and families today. People continue to want more but they want to do less. They want to study less and know more. They want to be committed less and blessed more. It seems the gods we serve are the gods that satisfy our flesh. We Christians live in a culture of fleshly, harmful compromise and we desire comfort over all else.

Someone once told me, "God is not as much interested in your comfort as He is your obedience and character." People living lives like an alley cat should not expect their lifestyle will lead to blessing.

The challenge is to reject sin that is seductive and destructive. This is a huge challenge because the enemy is subtle with his temptations. They do not always appear to be harmful. Having lunch alone with a co-worker of the opposite sex for example, seems harmless but in all reality it can be the beginning of adultery. We usually do not see the destruction our sinful behavior has caused until it is too late. Our children and teens are too immature to always make wise choices when it comes to these things. That is why God gave them parents. We need to take whatever action is necessary to root out harmful sin.

Sin is the cause of rebellion, divorce and discord of every kind. In Jeremiah 24:1-2, the Lord showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs. "One basket had very good figs like those that ripen early; the other basket had very poor figs, so bad they could not be eaten." The chapter goes on to say the Lord sees both. He sees the good fruit or the bad fruit of our life. The bad fruit will corrupt the good. As a Christ follower, having Jesus in your life will make all the good difference you can imagine. Your life is represented by one of the two baskets of figs. Which basket would best describe your life?

God's way is not necessarily to give us more things. Yet we constantly ask for more. God's way is not to heal every disease on earth but we constantly ask for healing. God's way is not always to make us more comfortable or have us remain in our comfort zone. Ironically the comfort zone is called the dead zone on a thermostat.

A life is like a tree. There are many lives that bear no fruit. When we are connected with Christ like a vine connects with its branches, we will bear fruit. With obedience the fruit will become good fruit. As we allow Jesus to change our life, the good fruit becomes much fruit. Brothers and sisters in Christ, let's be the basket of good figs that stays connected to the power and wisdom of Christ.