Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

A while back I read about Jesus' cursing the fig tree in Mark 11.  The account of Jesus’ curse on the fig tree has baffled many for a long time. It’s the only destructive miracle of Christ’s recorded. It seems to make Jesus appear petulant and unreasonable.  After all it wasn’t the season for figs. Why did Jesus react as He did?
            Some think the answer lies in the cycle of the fig tree. In the spring the tree sends out little bud followed by the growth of leaves.  Travelers could pluck these buds and eat them. They didn’t develop fully until fall. So because the buds weren’t present in the spring Christ cursed the tree. Once again the Bible makes sense upon further reflection. Indeed there is a clearly defined fig tree season.  However a few rare species bear fruit outside the norm.  So the test wasn’t the time of year but the appearance of leaves. Thus when Jesus saw the tree in full bloom He rightly expected fruit. But there was none.
            Jesus, the prophet used the tree as an object lesson. He denounced the hypocrisy.  The leaves were in full bloom but there was no fruit.  Israel made a superficial profession of faith but they lacked genuine fruit. What a lesson for Christians today!  One of the top reasons the world rejects Christ is because of the hypocrisy of professing believers. To fail to live our faith is to fail the Savior. We will continue to sin after we are saved no question.  We must be open about that fact. We must make every effort to be holy and blameless among the watching world. We can remember that God loves His own and when we fail, even horrendously so, there is forgiveness from the Father when we repent. It is much better not to fall in the first place.