Re:Verse passage – Luke 13:1-9 (day three)
“Let it alone, sir, for this year too.”
As “the end is near” stories go, this one stands out for its reassurance of God’s compassion. Clearly, Jesus aims to do more than just issue a sword-of-Damocles warning to those who tell themselves that God’s going to have mercy on them because they’re not as bad as some people. The story takes a turn with the introduction of the vineyard-keeper, who seeks a delay in the tree’s destruction. Both you and the worst person you know have remained alive because of the mercy of God. You’ve received no more of that graciousness than anyone else. In the meantime, when will you let others in on the truth of why they’re still around – that Christ loves them too much to leave them without an opportunity to turn to him?
