The fig tree, the church, and when to say when.

Directly following the Triumphal Entry in Matthew's account of Jesus, he tells the story of a fig tree.  Jesus passes by, is hungry, and looks for fruit.  Finding none, Jesus curses the fig tree and it withers up.  Later on, the disciples see the tree and are amazed that it indeed withered immediately and ceases to bear fruit.  Jesus teaches them about faith -- believe that what you ask for will be done, to put it bluntly. 

I find myself thinking about the tree today, and why Jesus cursed it.  The tree did not bear fruit; it was a fig, it is supposed to produce figs.  It did not.  It was in full leaf (early in season, actually); however early it may have been, the tree didn't have the fruit it ought.  The study note in one bible suggests this is a visual parable of judgment -- Israel (and by extension the body of believers?), not doing what they were wired up to do, face serious consequences.  Something to ponder, for sure.

Regarding the tree, I also think of things in the church -- at what point do we have the 'freedom' to call one another on 'unfruitfulness'?  What might that look like?  What about regarding a ministry within the church?  When it is not doing what is supposed to do, when do we pull the plug?  And what about specific people -- when they begin to cause significant damage or harm to the body, how do we go about lovingly but firmly follow Jesus' example and ask them to no long be a part of what we are doing?

This is tough, hard, difficult stuff.  Not fun, not comfortable on any level.  I also believe these things do happen in many places...growing in faith includes learning how to handle things like this in a Jesus-honoring way.