SAMANTHA ELLEY writes about her hopes for her battered lemon tree – and how that relates to our own lives…
Northern Rivers, New South Wales, Australia
Samantha Elley’s lemon tree. PICTURE: Courtesy of Samantha Elley
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. – Matthew 7:19 (NKJV)
We have a lemon tree in our backyard that I planted over 10 years ago in the hope of being able to harvest lovely lemons for recipes and drinks and all the yummy ways you can use this citrus fruit.
The only way it has proved it is a lemon tree is from the three or so very small and gnarly pieces of fruit it has born in all that time.
Each spring, the hope of pretty white flowers appear and then slowly die, not bearing anything of note. Despite pruning, providing citrus food, watering and fertilising, and I am not ashamed to admit, even prayer, the tree refuses to bear fruit.
One good thing I can say for it, is it is hardy. After the February, 2022, floods it was under water for at least a week, but somehow managed to survive and new shoots appeared shortly after.
However, the flowers have not. It is as if the tree has given up even the pretence of trying to bear fruit. We are at the point of getting rid of it so we can have some more space in our backyard to put a tree that will provide lemons.
I have seen people in life who have been like that lemon tree, or at least the fruit they bear is not of the best quality.
I have been like that too. There have been periods in my life where, I am ashamed to say, I wasn’t walking close to God and so the life I was living wasn’t providing great ‘fruit’.
I am so thankful for the forgiveness Jesus gives us freely, so that I could respond to the love and care provided by the master gardener.
I just hope my lemon tree wakes up to itself and starts responding to the care it is receiving, as I don’t want to have to go and find an axe.
