Our Poor Plum

I'm sad. I just finished picking the fruit off our plum tree. Last year we made jar after jar of plum jam from the fruit of this tree. It was my favorite of all the jams we made. It made me smile and remember summer, in the middle of winter time when the snow covered the ground.

But this year? I've picked 1/2 of of small mixing bowl. That's it. I don't know if it's enough fruit for a few jars of our jam.

Something is wrong with the tree. Limbs are dying. Leaves look eaten. The plums that are there are desperately small. It's simply not bearing the fruit it should.

As I was sadly picking the paltry plums, I thought of how Jesus must be sad when He looks out at churches that should be bearing beautiful fruit... but instead they are sickly. Sickly from being self-centered. Sickly from in-fighting. Sickly from apathy. Sickly from a lack of surrender to Him. My prayer is that The Loop would be healthy, and bear much beautiful fruit that would make Jesus smile!