So you probably shouldn't read this because I'm sort of taking a scripture out of context in order to make it more applicable to my life, but still I think it's interesting.
Leviticus 19:23-25 says, "When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the Lord your God" (ESV).
After reading from a few commentaries on Bible Hub, I now understand better the reason for waiting three / four years. It is because a tree does not bear its best, full crop of fruit until the fourth year, and the tree's fruit is seen as unclean until the first fruits are offered to God. But you don't want to offer fruit to God that's not at its best, so you have to wait until the fourth year to give it to Him, and then you can eat of it yourself after that, in the fifth year.
So here's how this applies to me (as I've imagined in my mind): I came to LA the first time for three years, planted some seeds / trees in the acting / industry world, but not a whole lot has happened. But this is now the fourth year, which is going to be when the best crop is produced (yeah!), so I can finally give it as a sacrifice to God for real. And then in the fifth year, when I'm 31, that's when I will enjoy the fruit of this pursuit for my own life and benefit as well.
(Is it weird to come up with a five-year plan when you're in the fourth year of it?)
