A year ago our friends gave us a fig tree to celebrate my husband's birthday. Rooted trees bring such extra blessing and meaning. Even more so fruit trees. Fig trees are loaded with significance. They bring both shade and juicy sweetness. They are exotic and unique. I was not really sure they would bear fruit in our colder climate, but I was content to enjoy their shade and form and to be reminded of the prophet Habakkuk who said that even if the fig tree did not bud, he would still rejoice in God and know God as His strength, enabling him to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17, 18).
Our fig tree is planted close to the house, right near the back door. No way we can miss it. I did notice that it seemed to have a couple of figs. I just did not think they would be ready for picking any time soon. Somehow the topic of figs came up with some other friends. I went to check on our figs. They were ready for picking. As I got even closer, I noticed that in amongst the big leaves were many more than I had ever thought. Some were even over ripe! We almost missed them. They are sweet and delicious.
I was reminded that blessings of all kinds are like that. We are surrounded by blessings. More than we could ever dream of. Sometimes we just do not recognize them among all the leafy extras of our lives. We do not reach out to receive them. Many of us are great at giving, but not as good about receiving. We don't feel we deserve goodness and cannot see the blessings among the greenery.
May our eyes and hearts allow us to see and receive the abundant and extravagant gifts that are as close to us as our own back doors.
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