Why should it use up the soil?
—Luke 13:7
Jesus pictured a vineyard owner who’d had it with a fruitless fig tree: “For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
The tree was taking up space in the vineyard, sucking sustenance from the soil, and taxing the toil of the vinedresser, but giving nothing in return.
There are two kinds of people: those who take more than they give and those who give more than they take.
Our life came into existence at the risk of someone else’s life and survived because of others’ care. We have been bequeathed a country, community, and church that came by the sacrifice of others. That spells an obligation to give back. Some do. Some don’t.
Put in at least as much as you take out.