“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) To start his mission as a pioneer, John the Baptist preached the same message. We are originally made according to the image of God. We therefore have to live in His image. God is love. When we are not in a state of love, we will not have a place or relation with God. Therefore, “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” (Matthew 11:12) For the same reason, “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.” (Matthew 18: 18-19) Jesus used the analogy of the fig tree as a way to persuade us to grasp the opportunity and repent in order to avoid being regretful. “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, 'For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. (So) cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, 'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.'” (Luke 13:6-9) Let us not waste the time of grace now. We need to continue working hard as the kingdom of God is at hand, or else Jesus will find no place in our hearts and soul to stay.