April 1 | Matthew 21:18-32, 42-46
DAILY READING
Matthew 21:18-32, 42-46
REFLECTION
Deception vs Trust
by Mary Alice McGinnis
What words would you say to describe God? What mental picture comes to mind when you think of Him? What is His character like?
I don’t know about you, but when I read the account of Jesus cursing the fig tree, it caused me to wonder, “Why would Jesus, God’s Son, destroy this fig tree? Did He just impulsively destroy that which did not meet His immediate need? Was He just so hungry that He became angry?” (Sounds like me when I get "hangry.")
Maybe I see Jesus as no different from all the humans I have encountered in my life, who are only out for themselves
Jesus, the perfect Son of God, is full of grace and truth. What if I truly believe that Jesus is indeed all powerful, all knowing, is perfectly good, perfectly just, and embodies perfect love? How could I view this differently?
We probably don’t know much about fig trees in our part of the world. It is uncommon for fig trees to have lavish leaves but have no fruit. The leaves give the indication that the plant is healthy and flourishing, therefore the promise of fruit seems the obvious result. It's like the fig tree was saying, "April Fools!"
Jesus’ issue with the fig tree was not selfishly motivated. His reaction was to the fig tree’s deception. Wikipedia says: "Deception or falsehood is an act or statement that misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept, or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage."