JRM Sison Chapter - Teachings

DEFINITION
Sycomore fruit
          The fruit of the sycamore or sycomore tree is of an inferior character compared to a fig-tree fruit. On its own, the sycamore fruit when ripe taste bitter. In ancient times, if you’re a gatherer of such fruit, you don’t only pick it but prick it. In Egyptian times, the fruit was pierced to hasten ripening to prevent the fig wasps in the fruit from maturing it or spoiling it.
Fig wasps
          These are insects that pollinate figs. It ripens the fruit but there are many wasps inside it and no longer edible.
Piercer
          The job of the piercer is simply to pierce on the fruit or also known as the gashing technique with an iron nail or prong. There are many reasons why the fruit is pierced:
          a.to rid the figs of wasps
          b.a means of escape for the insects through the cuts (Henslow)
          c.to maintain air entering the figs through the cuts - stopping egg-laying of the female wasps and preventing further development of eggs laid (Brown and Walsingham)
          In short, the job of the piercer is to make sure the fruit ripens and edible to eat.

The Minor Prophet, Amos
          In Amos 7:14, Amos described himself as a minor prophet; a man that was neither a prophet nor a son of a prophet but a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. It denotes his humility towards his calling.
          But what is the meaning of a minor prophet? In college, we have major subjects and minor subjects. Major subjects are lessons or teachings that are needed (or a requirement) in one’s course. If you’re a nursing student, your major will probably be geared on science rather than math. If you’re an education student, your major will depend on your choice; math, English etc. Let’s take a nursing student for example; she needs to have major subjects that familiarize her with medical tools, instrumentation, medicinal equivalent, blood type and anything about medicine. Her minors would probably be English and math subjects. But what if we take away the minors? How would a Filipino nurse communicate with an English-speaking patient if she doesn’t know English? And if she is going to buy things for herself, how will she know how to budget if she doesn’t know math?
          Minor subjects are just as important as major ones. Some minor subjects may be used more than the majors when used in actual scenarios; the same with minor and major prophets. Amos is a minor prophet that gives his message a power-boost. It’s simple and direct. Thus, Amos is one prophet that gives a lesson to all of us that there is more to the book than its cover.
          In Amos 7:14, the prophet Amos described himself as a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. The story evolved on how Amos was confronted by the priest of Bethel named Amaziah, who was a loyal follower of king Jeroboam II of Israel. To make matters worst, Israel was on its heights of prosperity and the gap between rich and poor widened because the people turned away from God. Amos teachings were about reminding the people to turn back to God, His requirements of justice, and that faith must be accompanied with rightful action. His message actually bruised Amaziah more than the king.
Gatherer of Sycomore Fruit
          Gatherer - is the translation of bolec which means to cultivate. Thus, gatherer of sycamore fruit may be translated as a person helping to cultivate fruits or figs produced by sycamore trees (used only by the poorest), which requires piercing or nipping in the cultivation. Amos described himself as a gatherer. He not only picks the fruit but pricks it. Let us, with our imagination, explain this process. The sycamore fruit was not picked ripe but undeveloped. The fruit was taken from its host (the sycamore tree). Once picked, the fruit was gashed (pierced or wounded) using iron nails or prongs. Then the fruit was placed along with the other wounded fruits. When the fruit ripens, it is then good to eat and it is so sweet that it is comparable with the fruits of the best fig trees.

Wounding the Fruit
          Why wound the fruit? To an untrained person, he would wait for the fruit to ripen (from yellow to red) just as he waits for a mango to ripen then he picks it. But unlike mangoes or any other fruits, though the sycamore fruit is ripe on one’s eyes, the inside of the fruit is filled with wasps; making it impossible to eat (in short, inedible and useless). If the fruit is eaten while undeveloped or unripe, unlike a mango (green when unripe and sour to the taste) the sycamore fruit tastes bitter.
          Wounding the fruit helps to get rid of wasps within the fruit, maintaining air to enter the fruit through the cuts - stopping female wasps to lay their eggs and preventing further development of laid eggs. Thus, when a wounded sycamore fruit ripens, it doesn’t have any wasps inside it and the taste is sweet comparable to the sweetest fruits. NOTE: Once a fruit is described as sweet it only means that the fruit is delicious to the taste.
          In our Christian life, we are the sycamore fruits. God is the gatherer and somebody else is the instrument (for gashing or wounding). How do we relate to this? Let us concentrate on the word W.O.U.N.D.

Well-picked
          God has picked us according to His perfect timing. One example would be Jeremiah and Timothy, God has picked them in their young age. Another would be Moses who was picked during his old age. God is a lover of variety and His timing is impeccable.

Opened
          In the event of our Christian life, God tries to open us. Open, meaning that He allows us to feel His ‘air’ passing inside us when we are in trouble or stressed out. This air cleanses us, heals us from our doubts, fears and uncertainties of life. He opened us to assure us of what we call comfort.

Unattended
          Ever felt God has left us? God allows this for us to remember to trust in Him. He left us unattended because He trusts on our abilities to ripen on our own according to His plans. Our talents, skills and wisdom can’t be honed by God for us but exercised by us for God. God’s purpose is for us to know that even though we are unattended, He is always there ready to guide us in case of emergency.

Naïve
          God loves the simple-minded; just as Amos have shown his simplicity with Amaziah. God wants us to be simple and not complex; to be direct rather than indirect. He wants us to have power not force; to have authority rather than inability.

Drawn
          God loves to use us for His purpose. But when He uses us, He lifts us up, make our name great and blesses us (Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing).