The Real Giving Tree

One of our favorite books, as my children were growing up, was The Giving Tree.
Shel Silverstein wrote this simple book that has become a classic.
It has been translated into many languages.
Many continue to debate what the book really means.

The sweetness of this book can be taken at face value.
The tree provides everything the boy needs throughout his entire life.
Even when there was seemingly nothing left to give, the tree still gave.
The story is an allegory, a parable, a children’s book, a book for everyone.

The tree provided apples, branches to swing on, and a trunk to climb.
The tree provided wood for a house, wood for a boat, and a stump to sit on.
The boy asked.
The tree gave.

The tree gave unconditionally.
The tree gave without questioning the boy’s motives.
The tree gave when it was easy.
The tree gave when it really had nothing left to give.

Like any parable, you tend to see yourself or someone you know in the story.
You walk away with the A-Ha moment, long after you finish the story.
Am I like the boy?
Am I like the tree?

If someone asked us to describe our favorite tree, we could probably do it in an instant.
It may be a tree that was on our front lawn or one that we climbed.
It may be a tree we pass on a drive or on a walk.
We all have a picture of a tree in our mind.

We welcome its shade in the summer.
We marvel at its colors in the fall.
We wish we could sketch the silhouette that we see in the bleak winter.
We celebrate the new life bursting forth in the spring.

The city of Philadelphia wants to increase its tree canopy by thirty percent.
The Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation is giving away 2,000 trees.
They want the city to be known as the City of “Arborly” Love.
They hope that residents will plant up to two free trees on their property.

The city will provide lessons on how to plant and care for the trees.
Planting a tree provides shade and air purification.
Some of the trees to be given away are fruit bearing trees.
Trees that will yield its fruit in season.

God created trees on the third day.
Like everything else, trees were created for His glory and splendor.
God even spelled out specific instructions in His word concerning trees.

When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people that you should besiege them? However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls. (Deuteronomy 20:19,20)

God’s Word describes a giving tree.
In wartime, do not destroy trees because they will provide necessary lumber for you.
In wartime, do not destroy trees because they will provide food for you.

The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD.
The Romans method was to lay siege to the walled cities.
The soldiers would camp outside the walls.
The Jews were weakened because food and water became scarce.

While the soldiers waited outside the city walls, they cut down every tree.
They used the wood to cook and to keep themselves warm.
All the olive trees that grew in the Garden of Gethsemane were destroyed.
The Romans paid no attention to God’s rules concerning trees.

They only considered the conquest.
They only considered the expediency.
Trees were not important.
They were a means to an end.

It was on a tree that the Son of God died.
It was on a tree that our sins were placed upon Jesus.
It was on a tree that the wrath of God was satisfied.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)

The care of the tree, that God so carefully spelled out in His Word, was not heeded.
There was Fruit on the tree on which our Savior died.
Firstfruits.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom of God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:20-26)

The cross is the real Giving Tree.
Jesus gave His all there on that tree.

The book, The Giving Tree, ends with a simple statement: And the tree was happy.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

And Jesus was happy.