The prophet Jeremiah published a bold statement after Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, along with all the princes of Judah had been taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. That message has become a metaphor of two kinds of people and their response to suffering.
Jer 24:2 One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten. ESV
Jeremiah saw two baskets of figs; one held very good figs and the other very bad figs. They represented two different results from the same event; suffering from being sent to Babylon. Some would profit from it but others wouldn’t and would become bitter and rotten. And for us the deportation to Babylon represents the tests and trials God sets before us… how will we come through? What kind of figs will we be?
What we often forget about suffering is that it’s not the “shock of the challenge” that’s the central issue, rather it’s all about what it tells us about our response to suffering and God’s use of that suffering in our life. If we will focus on what God wants to accomplish through the suffering we will discover that there are three key things He wants to teach us:
- It’s an Opportunity… We need to look at suffering as an opportunity to develop a willingness to believe that good will come out of it if we will submit and allow God to work the change in us that will draw us closer to Him. This is the “commitment” that God doesn’t give up on like He does a basket of bad figs.It’s a Teachable Moment… God wants to develop in us a teachable heart. We need to look first to our circumstances to discover the lesson that He is teaching us. In spite of our suffering, God is accomplishing something inside of us. This is the “heart” that God doesn’t give up on like He does a basket of bad figs.
- It’s All About Obedience… As we go through suffering we need to stand firm and allow it to develop a deeper level of obedience in us. This is the “attitude” that God will not give up on like a basket of bad figs.
Jesus told us that suffering is part of life and when it comes we shouldn’t be surprised, especially when it comes in the form of persecution by others:
John 15:20(a) Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you… ESV
It’s important to notice that Jeremiah only saw two baskets. There wasn’t a third basket filled with partially spoiled figs. When suffering comes we only have two choices and that means we fall into one basket or the other. If we’ll look at our suffering as an opportunity for something good to happen, to learn the lesson God is trying to teach us, and develop a more obedient heart then we will find ourselves in the basket of good figs. Do we want the experience to mature us and develop sweet fruit or are we going to harden our heart against it and become bitter and useless fruit? Suffering is common to every member of the bride of Christ and you can rest assured that it’s going to come your way from time-to-time. When that happens you’ll get the answer… Which Kind of Basket Case Are You?