Matthew 21:18-22 "Fruitless"

Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.  Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”


In many ways, this is an odd passage.  Jesus commands a fig tree to wither and die just because it has no fruit.  The disciples were amazed, and Jesus uses the opportunity to teach about faith.  I kind of get what He is saying about faith.  I mean, I do not have that kind of faith, but I understand the principle He is teaching.  There is something else here as well, though.  There is a Kingdom principle that Jesus often teaches and here illustrates:  Use it or lose it.  

God has an expectation that whatever He has given us, we should use for His Kingdom's sake.  To him who has much even more is given.  To the one who buries his giftings and hides his treasure,  what little he has is taken from him.

In this process, I believe God is patient and gentle.  He teaches us.  When Jesus asked one man if he believed, the man replied, "I do believe; help my unbelief."  That was both honest and enough.  God works within the boundaries of what He has given. There is no doubt, however, that God expects us to use what He has given.  If I have just a little faith, God doesn't expect me to move a mountain -but He might expect me to pray for my neighbor or my children or a co-worker.  And as I exercise my faith, He gives more.