The Giving Tree

Proverbs 11:24-31

 

In the 1996 movie, Jerry Maguire, a slick sports agent has a crisis of conscience which results in him getting fired and starting his own agency. Desperate to salvage the only client/athlete that he has left, the agent shouts over the phone, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” to show his client just how committed he is to him.

 

In the world, this is what it comes down to a lot of the time. Somebody somewhere is shouting, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!" As believers though, we’re to have a different view towards money; a different perspective for its use. Proverbs has this to say about it.

 

²⁸ A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;
    a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.           Proverbs 11 MSG

 

This verse paints a picture that reminds me of the children’s book written by Shel Silverstein titled “The Giving Tree”. It’s a story about a boy and a tree.

 

During his childhood, the boy enjoyed playing with the tree; climbing her trunk, swinging from her branches, and eating her apples. However, as he gets older he begins to use the tree for his own selfish pleasure; selling her apples, building a house from her branches and cutting her trunk to make a boat.

 

The tree gave and gave and gave of herself until all that was left was “a stump”. This is an interesting twist on verse 28. In “The Giving Tree”, the stump actually became “a flourishing tree”.

 

Every time that the tree gave another part of herself to the boy, the narrative states, “And the tree was happy”. This is similar to what Proverbs has to tell us about giving.

 

²⁴ The world of the generous gets larger and larger;
    the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

²⁵ The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;
    those who help others are helped.       Proverbs 11 MSG

 

THE Giving Tree of the Bible, gave and gave and gave of Himself to the point of sacrificing His one and only son whom He loved. Likewise, God calls us to invest ourselves in the lives of those around us; not just with our treasure, but also with our time and talents. If we do this, the result will be “a flourishing tree”.

 

 

 

 

(If God has spoken to you, or touched your heart through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

 

 

 

The Giving Tree

John 15:12-17

 

 

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is one of my favorite children’s books. It is the story of a tree who constantly gives and the boy who always takes. The boy always wants more and the tree gives of herself until all that is left is a stump. But even as a stump, the Giving Tree continues to give because by then the boy is a tired old man so that all he needs is something to sit on.

 

You could say that the Giving Tree bears fruit by giving of herself whether it is leaves, apples, branches or even her stump. As Jesus said in today’s passage, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus was the ultimate Giving Tree.

 

Isaiah prophesied about Jesus when he wrote, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Like the stump of the Giving Tree, this is a great visual. A nation will grow out of the stump of Jesse. Even though it is a stump, fruit will be produced.

 

From today’s passage, Eugene Peterson wrote in The Message, “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, He gives you.”

 

As a believer in and follower of Christ, we are called to bear fruit. We are called to be a Giving Tree. In doing so, you may find that you give and give and give while others take and take and take, until you feel like a stump. Either way, whether you are a full grown tree or a stump, you are called to bear fruit.

 

We don’t retire from being called to bear fruit. We don’t wait until we have perfected our lives to bear fruit. We don’t hold back from bearing fruit because others are just using us, or because we aren’t appreciated.

 

Like the Giving Tree, we keep giving and giving, even to the point of becoming a stump. And throughout it all, we give God the glory.