a lack of productivity

Being productive is what drives humans to draw more near to their goals on a daily basis. Being productive is good for our minds, bodies, and spirits. Without productivity, I don't know if we would ever be able to accomplish anything that we set out to do.

God won't tolerate our lack of productivity forever.

Jesus actually warns us of this in 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 parable, Jesus pointed out what would happen to the other kind of tree-the kind that took valuable time and space and still produced nothing for the patient gardener..

God gives us his time, blesses us with everything we need, and still so often we produce nothing. No matter how patient God has been to us all of our lives, we still seem too often to not produce anything.

We aren't going to be able to continue to live our lives this way. God won't tolerate it forever. Just like how he told the man who watches over the vineyard to cut the tree down if it bears no fruit.

Have you been enjoying God's special treatment without giving anything in return?

If so, respond to the gardeners patient care, and begin to bear the fruit God has created for you to produce.

Thankfully God is patient with us. I don't want you to think that God is going to bring his wrath on you because you haven't been productive. I just want to create a sense of urgency. I want you to start thinking and doing things in return for Christ before it is too late.

To bear fruit for Christ you don't have to give your left arm. Bearing fruit for Christ is giving him some time out of your day. Praying and being thankful for all our abundant blessings. It's loving people and showing others grace, kindness, gentleness, and respect. It's treating people in such a way that is God horning.

It's like anything in life. The productivity and the discipline we need to have everyday is what will help us accomplish all of our wildest dreams. You can't just be productive one day and expect everything to fall into place, it's going to take a persistent commitment from each and every person.

I encourage you to do those little things, and watch the fruit that you will begin to bear.