Jesus lived in dangerous times, and so do we. We know about mentally ill people with access to assault rifles and school playgrounds, and gruesome drug murders just across our borders. Jesus’ audience knew about Pilate’s murder of some Jews offering sacrifice, and of a tower that fell and killed eighteen people.
In trying to make sense of those random deaths, people asked Jesus if those who had been killed had been guilty of some sin for which God was punishing them. Jesus jumped at the opportunity to correct that long-held theology of his day. No, he said, bad things happen to good people every day. And Jesus offered no explanation for why that is. He did, however tell them a parable about a barren fig tree that was long overdue to produce fruit. Cut it down said the owner! Give it another chance! said the gardener. And so the loving gardener fertilized it, and dug around it, and did everything possible to get it to come around.
Just like parents who won’t give up on their kids. Just like that Gardener in that original Garden, who called after Adam and Eve, looking for them, longing for them, even after they had rebelled.
Come now, oh God of second chances. Call us back again.

SHARING GOD'S WORD AT HOME: What memories can you recall of being given a second chance?