If you walk up to an apple tree, do you have to tell the tree you’re hungry?  And if you tell the tree you’re hungry, do you have to tell him a long story about why you’re hungry?

Isn’t it true that your simple approach is sufficient?  And as your hand grasps the Apple and pulls it loose, do you have to say “thank you” to the tree?  No one has ever heard an apple tree complain when an apple is picked.

Does the tree look to see you coming?  Does it judge you by what it sees?  As you reach for the Apple does it withdraw the limb?

Does the tree tell you “No!”, then give you some lame excuse as to why?  Perhaps it might tell you it gives its’ fruit somewhere else.  So you say to the tree, “Can I just have a partly rotten apple?”  The tree just shakes its leaves and turns away.

If we, who are in Christ, are not prepared in season and out of season to give the fruit of God’s generosity, we will likely stammer about like the stingy apple tree.  And we should consider that we may be in danger as was the fig tree.  ” May you never bear fruit again.”