Honored

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

HONORED

Prov 27:18

18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.

NIV

Once again there is s duelist meaning that can be taken from this saying. Let us consider first the most obvious one. Whoever tends the fig tree gets to eat the fruit of his labor. We would have to include the instructions that were given to Timothy through the Apostle Paul. There are other things he said but this portion bears on this saying.

2 Tim 2:6-7

6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

NIV

This would seem in opposition to the idea that the first fruits belong to the Lord. However it does not say the farmer should have the first share, but that he should be the first to share in the fruit of his labor as opposed to others taking his crops for their needs first. He may well have given his first fruits to the Lord and then he should be first to enjoy his own results of his labor. This is the idea in this person who tends the fig tree. Of course we do not tend fig trees much in this county and so this could apply to any work endeavor the Lord has directed our path to. Whatever profession or trade or employment we are involved in we should be able to enjoy the results of our labor. We are not to work so that others might take our paycheck and spend it on their needs. That just seems very obvious. The other meaning requires some reconstruction of the original language, this we may not be in favor of but some of our scholars are suggesting this. It would mean that in order to enjoy the fruit of the tree, the person must first labor. Or first the farmer must labor to receive a share of the crops. That would agree with the idea that if you want to eat, you much work. There has always been some who would disagree with this principle. Those who would want to give food to others in order to control them. Yes, there are some people who are truly in need of assistance and we believers should be there with a helping hand. Yet it would seem that there are those who are in government that would what to actually create a whole society of dependent people in order to keep them voting to keep the politician in office and in power. Yet the idea here is that if a person wants to enjoy a share of the crop, he must first work for it. At least that is the way our scholars see it within the original language. But the idea is this saying is using that principle of the tender of the tree enjoying the fruit with the same idea of a servant and his master. If we look after the Lord we will be rewarded. Now the question is as to how we would look after God. The idea is a servant does the work for the master. He is directed by the master and a servant does that which he is instructed to do. So then we would have to know what the work of the Lord is. What is the work of God? It appears it is twofold. First Jesus tells us directy what the work of the Lord is.

John 6:29

29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."  

NIV

Then if we simply believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that he came to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin, and that he rose from the dead into a new glorified life, so that we too died with him on the cross, that is our old man, and we too were raised from the dead a new creature, we will receive the reward of eternal life. So the work of God is to believe in Jesus. Nothing else, it is not Jesus plus good works, Jesus plus whatever, it is simply Jesus. He also said something else about the work of God in regards to the man who was born blind.

John 9:3-4

3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

NIV

The work of God is also being displayed in our lives. It is not that we display it, but the Lord displays his work within us and through us. It is not the servant actually doing the work of God, but God doing the work within and through the servant. The servant only does what the master commands him to do, it is the work of the master, the servant is but a vessel used by the master to accomplish his work. It is not the work of the servant, but of the master. So as we look after the things of God, as we believe in Jesus, God accomplishes his work in our lives. He saves us, he redeems us, and he makes us holy and blameless in his sight. He uses us to show himself to the world, not by our works, because apart from him we can do nothing, but he demonstrates himself to the world by our faith and trust in him. He manifests himself in and through us. God displays himself in our life. That is truly a reward of honor.