Our neighbor’s pear tree is loaded with fruit. Normally this wouldn’t be a surprise. This time of year you expect pear trees to bear fruit. But this tree looks like it should be dead. The trunk is hollow, and you can see right through to the other side of it. I’m amazed that there is as much as a green leaf on the tree, or that the tree is even standing. Yet this unlikely producer has an abundance of fruit.

The Bible is filled with examples of people who attained unexpected success. Moses, a hot-tempered murderer with a speech impediment led God’s people to the Promised Land. The prostitute Rahab was ultimately listed in the lineage of Christ. Gideon came out of hiding and, against all odds, led a ridiculously outnumbered army to victory. A young shepherd boy named David killed the giant who opposed the Israelites. A seemingly ordinary young lady named Mary became the mother of Christ. A group of ordinary fisherman changed the world.

So the next time you feel discouraged about your chances of making a difference in this world, just think about a pear tree that exceeded all expectations, and consider what God can do with someone who remains firmly planted in his will.