Reflection: A Useful Servant

The Master calls Servant Three worthless. He hasn’t matured, he’s of no use to anyone else, he has borne no fruit. Bearing fruit is a recurring theme throughout God’s Word. Jesus himself warns us that “every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 7:19 ESV). He isn’t in a hurry, though, to cast unfruitful trees into the fire. In a parable in Luke 13, the owner of a vineyard tells his vinedresser to cut down a tree that hasn’t borne fruit for three years. The vinedresser begs for one more year to dig around the tree and fertilize it. Just one more chance, please? Then, if it doesn’t bear fruit next year, you can cut it down.