Thursday, December 17, 2020
Tame & Wild Olive Trees
I've been reading in Jacob 5 about the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees. Here are a few verses:
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21 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard.
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22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.
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23 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self.
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I have many thoughts about this. The Lord of the vineyard planted it in a poor spot. When the tree notices how poor the spot is, is the tree allowed to be angry? Is it ok for the tree to think "Why did I get planted in such a poor spot?" We found out that another tree has been planted in a poorer spot than they so there's somebody worse off. Does that mean they are then only allowed to feel gratitude because it could be worse? It could always be worse. The tree doesn't have all the support and nourishment that most other trees have but the Lord of the vineyard says it's ok because he nourishes it and cares for it. Does the tree appreciate that but sometimes long to know what it would be like to have the nourishment of the ground that it's surrounded in, that it can see and feel around it every day? The tree brings forth much fruit. This proves by the Lord of the vineyard that poor ground doesn't guarantee poor results but will this tree always bring forth much fruit? Is there a day when the tree feels like even with the nourishment from the Lord of the vineyard, without the nourishment of all the tree is growing in day-to-day, they don't feel capable of bringing forth much fruit anymore? Does the tree being angry ruin the tree or can the tree contain the anger to some extent while still continuing to bring forth much fruit? Is the Lord of the vineyard glad he planted the tree? Would he be glad if it stopped bringing forth fruit? Was there truly a grand purpose or was it an experiment? Also, will the tree ever get to feel what it's like to be nourished by both the Lord of the vineyard and the ground all around it? Obviously, this isn't much about a tree to me. These verses have never meant to me what they do now but I wish I could answer all of these other questions as well.
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