Nothing but leaves

Several years ago my parents planted some fruit trees in their back yard. I would say it was around 10 years ago that they planted several different kinds of fruit trees. The knew it would take several years for them to produce fruit, but they waited patiently for them to begin producing. They looked forward to enjoying some peach and plum preserves as well as some fig preserves. Over the next several years the trees grew and the leaves became full, but there was no fruit of which they could enjoy. The birds liked the trees and they did look pretty from the backyard, but they did not provide any fruit. They were fruit trees that did not produce fruit. A similar event happened in the life of Jesus as revealed in Mark 11. Jesus was on his way to the temple when he became hungry and decided to grab some fruit from a fig tree. The tree was full of leaves and looked like it would be a good fruit producer, but nevertheless when Jesus looked for the fruit, it had none. Jesus cursed the fig tree and said it would never produce again. A fig tree is supposed to produce figs, not just leaves to look pretty. Jesus continued His journey to the temple area and discovered people utilizing the place of prayer and worship as a marketplace for commerce. Animals were being sold, money being exchanged, and people were using the area as a short cut to the other side of the city. It was crowded, noisy, and stinky. The smell rose up to God and Jesus drove everyone from the area and stated that God's house was to be a place of prayer. I do not want to get into all the teachings of this passage, but I do want to reveal a truth that we need to apply to our lives and to our churches. The temple had become nothing but leaves. It appeared to be alive, but it was not producing what it was designed to do, which was to draw people into a relationship with God. Think of your own life. When people look at you do they see nothing but leaves? You know, you look good and you sound good. You appear to have your act together. But upon further examination you are not producing any fruit that will help another person draw closer to God. It is really more about you looking good for others than providing anything that will help them. What fruit are your producing that helps others come to know Jesus. Another question that we must consider is what about the church we attend? Are we are a leaf producing church or a fruit producing fruit. There are many churches that look alive and they may even appear to be vibrant and full of energy, but the key is are people being drawn into a loving relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ? Think about these things and examine your life and even take time out to examine the church you attend. Are you guilty of nothing but leaves? By the way, there was one tree that finally produced fruit at my mom and dad's house it was called a Bruce plum tree. I have never considered this tree as a compliment to me, but rather a challenge to make sure that I am producing fruit as God intended. Perhaps God allowed that tree to produce fruit so that I would be reminded every time I saw it to ask myself if I am a tree of leaves or a tree of fruit?