What Determines Giving A Person A Second Chance?

Luke 13:6-9 - And He began telling this parable: 
 
“A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. “And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’
 
“And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’ ”
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• You Believe You Can Help 

This is a very interesting story. You have a tree that has not produced in 3 years and the owner of the vineyard comes by and notices once again that this fig tree is slacking or in other words not producing.

So he being a good businessman who is interested in his bottom line says, “Cut it down!” If you don’t produce you are not going to take up space in my vineyard. The owner is interested in production from his trees and land.
 
You believe you are able to make a difference in this person's life. You want the owner to trust you and your abilities for one year to make a difference.

·      Giving A Second Chance Tests Your Abilities

The vinedresser or supervisor of the vineyard makes a suggestion to the owner. He says, “Let me invest some time and material into this tree.” In other words, he was going to take responsibility for the tree. The manager is interested in displaying patience and producing fruit.

It was up to the manager to give the tree a second chance. Have you ever invested some time into someone that everyone else said, “Don’t do it, you are wasting your time that person is a loser”?

If you have given someone a second chance, I hope they produced some fruit after you invested your time in them.

This happened for Barry Davis, the head wrestling coach at the University of Wisconsin. He had a wrestler named, Kevin Wilmot, who quit the team. Coach Davis gave him a second chance.

Kevin rewarded Coach Davis by winning the 167 pound Big Ten Championship and placing fourth at the NCAA's in 1997. Sometimes all that is needed in life is a second chance. It tells the person you believe in them. Today Kevin is a successful Chiropractor in Montana.
 
Not everyone will take advantage of a second chance when given to them so you must be wise enough to know who is trying and who isn't trying.

·      Set Some Parameters When Giving The 2nd Chance
 
1.   Set a Time Frame – the keeper of the vineyard asked for a one-year time frame from the owner.

If you are going to work with someone to help them to grow and produce it is definitely a good idea to have a prearranged time frame. If you look at a college coach they know they have about 4-5 years to be able to work with their athlete to improve as long as the athlete stays in college.

2.   Set an Agenda – the supervisor was going to dig around the tree and fertilize it. What is your plan to help this person become better and bear fruit?

3.   Prepare to cut your losses – if the fig tree didn’t produce the farmer was willing to allow it to be cut down. If the person you are trying to help doesn't produce fruit then prepare yourself to cut ties with that person and move on to another one.
 
One thing about this life, there are plenty of people who are in need of a second chance.

What about you? Are you in need of a second chance?

Or are you the one who needs to give someone a second chance?
 
Think on These:
 
Criticism should always leave a person with a feeling he has been helped.
 
It is better to keep a friend from falling than to help him up after he falls.
 
Offering good advice may be noble and grand, but it isn't the same as a helping hand.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word