The trees of the orchard were harvested yearly, producing large, beautiful red apples. The apples were splendid and many people were blessed by their beauty and wonderful taste.
Among the cultivated trees grew a wild tree which was not planted by the orchards owner. It was just a little different from the other trees in both leaves and branches. Most of the apple trees agreed that this was not an apple tree, yet the wild tree insisted it was just as much an apple tree as the rest.
Some of the smaller apple trees insisted that the more mature trees should not judge the new tree so harshly. “He’s just a little different, but that doesn’t make him not an apple tree! So what if his leaves come later than ours do and he has no fruit like the rest. He says he’s an apple tree and that’s good enough for us.”
So there was division in the orchard. The trees altogether agreed to wait until the third year, the fruiting year to see what would happen. Finally the third spring arrived and all the trees were in bloom. The new tree also bloomed and all the trees waiting expectantly for the fruit to arrive. The flower of the new comer was not like the rest. His flowers were larger and more bright than the others.
The smaller trees who sided with the wild tree gloated, “look at those beautiful flowers!” Even the mature trees had to admit, his flowers were much more bright and fragrant than their own, though strangely different.
Summer came and all the apple trees dropped their flowers and fruit started to develop on their branches. The stranger dropped it’s flowers also. Everyone waited expectantly to see the fruit which should come, but none appeared. The tree still insisted that he was an apple tree, and the smaller trees continued to defend him.
Fall neared and still not fruit was seen on the new tree. The mature trees had agreed together that this was no apple tree. The less mature also seeing no fruit began to make up excuses for the fruitlessness of their wild friend. They had a meeting and it was decided by the smaller trees that their friend was still and apple tree, just of the fruitless variety.
The mature trees disagreed with them still set in their minds that an apple tree should have apples on it.
James 2:26
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