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.