Proverbs 27:18
“Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who guards his master will be honored.” Proverbs 27:18
We’ve been studying the Proverbs on Wednesday evenings at Immerse. The season is almost over and our discussions will soon end, but the chewing on these wonderful proverbs will continue for a lifetime. Proverbs 27:18 initially stuck out to me because it
mentioned tending a fruit tree, which I greatly enjoy doing. It’s easy to understand how diligent, hard work to care for a tree will, at the end of the season, reap a reward of good fruit to enjoy. It’s easy to understand the opposite as well. If one does not care to tend
to their fruit tree, they will find that it will not be healthy and not likely bear much fruit; the reward will be lost.
Likewise, the second half seems pretty straight forward. Whoever guards (or keeps) his master will be honored. Simply, he has the master’s will in mind, thinking, “What service would keep the will of my master? What would honor and respect my master? This
one will be rewarded with honor bestowed by that master. Similarly, the opposite will occur if the servant neglects to keep the will of the master. Dishonor will be his reward.
Both statements’ patterns are similar of tending/keeping (very comparable to what Adam was commanded to do in the garden) which in turn leads to rewards of fruit and honor. Fruit is a good reward and honor is the greater.
But what if that fruit tree is stubborn and no matter how well you care for it, there is little or no fruit? What if the master you serve, no matter how faithfully and respectfully, not only doesn’t show you honor, but he treats you unjustly. Does that nullify the hope of
this proverb?
The reality about many of the proverbs is that these truths should happen this way; this is how God made things to work, but they don’t always work out, at least in an earthly sense. The reason is, through man, sin entered God’s creation, and because of that things don’t always work the way they are supposed to. So then, is there any hope in our toil on the earth? Yes, but only in and through Christ, the new Adam, the perfect man in whose kingdom there is no corruption and who promises to His own an inheritance imperishable, undefiled and kept in heaven for us (see 1 Peter 1:4-5). None of our labor in the Lord and none of our obedience in the Lord is in vain because Jesus conquered sin, death, and corruption, proven in his resurrection. Now “All the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2 Corinthians 1:20) .
There is a sure hope in the all toil and service of this life as we do so unto the Lord and In Christ. We may receive earthly rewards in part now, but later, heavenly rewards in full when Christ returns and makes all things new and right. The blessings of fruit are so good, but what can compare to the honor bestowed on us as bondservants of Christ when our master Jesus speaks these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Mathew 25:23.
Looking to Jesus,
Paul
We’ve been studying the Proverbs on Wednesday evenings at Immerse. The season is almost over and our discussions will soon end, but the chewing on these wonderful proverbs will continue for a lifetime. Proverbs 27:18 initially stuck out to me because it
mentioned tending a fruit tree, which I greatly enjoy doing. It’s easy to understand how diligent, hard work to care for a tree will, at the end of the season, reap a reward of good fruit to enjoy. It’s easy to understand the opposite as well. If one does not care to tend
to their fruit tree, they will find that it will not be healthy and not likely bear much fruit; the reward will be lost.
Likewise, the second half seems pretty straight forward. Whoever guards (or keeps) his master will be honored. Simply, he has the master’s will in mind, thinking, “What service would keep the will of my master? What would honor and respect my master? This
one will be rewarded with honor bestowed by that master. Similarly, the opposite will occur if the servant neglects to keep the will of the master. Dishonor will be his reward.
Both statements’ patterns are similar of tending/keeping (very comparable to what Adam was commanded to do in the garden) which in turn leads to rewards of fruit and honor. Fruit is a good reward and honor is the greater.
But what if that fruit tree is stubborn and no matter how well you care for it, there is little or no fruit? What if the master you serve, no matter how faithfully and respectfully, not only doesn’t show you honor, but he treats you unjustly. Does that nullify the hope of
this proverb?
The reality about many of the proverbs is that these truths should happen this way; this is how God made things to work, but they don’t always work out, at least in an earthly sense. The reason is, through man, sin entered God’s creation, and because of that things don’t always work the way they are supposed to. So then, is there any hope in our toil on the earth? Yes, but only in and through Christ, the new Adam, the perfect man in whose kingdom there is no corruption and who promises to His own an inheritance imperishable, undefiled and kept in heaven for us (see 1 Peter 1:4-5). None of our labor in the Lord and none of our obedience in the Lord is in vain because Jesus conquered sin, death, and corruption, proven in his resurrection. Now “All the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2 Corinthians 1:20) .
There is a sure hope in the all toil and service of this life as we do so unto the Lord and In Christ. We may receive earthly rewards in part now, but later, heavenly rewards in full when Christ returns and makes all things new and right. The blessings of fruit are so good, but what can compare to the honor bestowed on us as bondservants of Christ when our master Jesus speaks these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Mathew 25:23.
Looking to Jesus,
Paul
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