Today is Tuesday of Holy Week. 

Thursday and Friday receive first names useable this week only: Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. 

Maundy references Jesus’ command to love one another. Demonstrated by Him washing the disciples’ feet and celebrating the Lord’s Supper with them that day. 

Good refers to the crucifixion of Jesus. How it brings good to the world by forgiving man’s sin. By restoring his relationship with His Creator.

This Tuesday gets a first name, too: Fig. Fig Tuesday.

This given name comes from the incident that week – mapped out to Tuesday by many scholars – when Jesus caused the fruitless fig tree to wither.

“How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” asked Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 21.20)  They were more impressed with the how of the miracle than the why.

Jesus speaks of faith and belief. Of asking in prayer. Of moving mountains.

We tend to latch onto the how. It’s more exciting. We’d rather perform miracles than grasp why a miracle should be performed.

Fig trees produce figs. Especially in the growing season. If it doesn’t, something’s wrong with the tree.

People who belong to Jesus’ family produce fruit that looks like Jesus-fruit. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.  

When the Holy Spirit lives in you, those fruits happen. 

If they’re not, you’re stifling the Holy Spirit somehow. Ignoring it. Pretending the still, small voice is irrelevant. Locking it up in a room so it can’t influence the rest of your tree.

Today’s a great day to take stock of why. To consider the fruit you’re bearing. 

No need for mountain-moving miracles that scream “Look at me!” Just simple figs popping out where they’re supposed to.

Simple Christians looking like Jesus in their actions and their words.