Leadership Lesson:

If you want to eat the fruit, tend the tree.

“Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, he who guards his master will be honored.”
Proverbs 27:18

Guard what you are given.

The best way to advance, to grow in your organization and to be honored by promotion or advancement is to be a great guard of what you have been given. Follow and protect what your boss has given you, before you ask or look for more. Think of your “job” as tending a tree or guarding the boss. Your job is not only to look after the tree, but ensure the tree is as productive as possible.

It will take effort to tend the tree:

Absolute Loyalty – Loyalty is all or nothing. There is no neutrality towards the tree. Indifference is the same as ignorance and disloyalty. If you can’t give absolute loyalty, move on.

Unwavering Attention – You must be attentive and focused on the tree and guarding what you have been given. You must allow discomfort or distraction to cause you to waver.

A Humble  Attitude– You will never be the tree or become the master. You may get more fruit and have more honor from the master. But you must always have the attitude of one who serves, one who is low.

Delayed Gratification & Appreciation – Don’t work for instant gratification or instant appreciation. Do the work because it’s been given to you to do, not to get a pat on the back or credit. Don’t work for credit, work for your master. Let the satisfaction of a job well done be your fulfillment and you will accomplish a lot more and out last a lot of others.

Refusal to Quit (Resilience) – Too many people never see the fruit of their labor because they quit before the harvest. Too many workers have walked away from the master before he handed out his rewards. Don’t be a quitter. Resolve your spirit to stay until the job is done and the harvest has come.

Do the Work – There is work to be done and a time to do it. If you want to eat the fruit, do the work. This means, take initiative. Stop waiting and watching when you should be working. There is no luck. There is preparation, hard work and opportunity. Those who take the initiative and go to work see the best fruit.

Don’t get tired of tending the tree. You don’t own the tree, but work like you do. I learned at an early age in my work career, work like you own it, but never believe you are the owner:  always answer to another. Don’t get tired of guarding the master. Know and embrace your role. You can’t lead without serving.

For the Christian, Jesus is both tree and master. Tend the tree, serve the master. He will both make you fruitful and honor you. He has promised both to those who are faithful in their stewardship and their service. Jesus was very clear, “No man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24).

Who are you serving? What tree are you tending?

If you want your boss to bless you, guard him/her. If you want your field to feed you, tend it. Don’t get caught watching when you should be working. Don’t get caught dreaming when you should be developing.

If you want to eat the fruit, tend the tree. If you want the master to honor you, guard him.

(c) Alex Vann