Signs of Hope - The Tree of Life

This past weekend, several dozen people gathered just outside Baltimore at the United Methodist Board of Child Care to share in the dedication of the Tree of Life. The tree was a gift to the Board of Child Care from supporters who wanted to honor the dedication of persons who have offered their time, talent and money to support the work of the Board over many years. Those who spoke at the dedication service shared stories of the generosity of many persons whose names appeared on the leaves of the Tree of Life, and how their gifts, and those of many others have, and continue to make a real difference in the lives of children and families in Baltimore, Washington, DC and beyond.

As I shared in the dedication service, I was reminded of an old story about an unusual tree that grew outside of a desert city:

It was an ancient tree, a landmark, as matter of fact. It seemed to have been touched by the finger of God, for it bore fruit perpetually. Despite its old age, its limbs were constantly laden with fruit. Hundreds of passersby refreshed themselves from the tree, as it never failed to give freely of its fruit.

But then a greedy merchant purchased the property on which the tree grew. He saw hundreds of travelers picking fruit from his tree, so he built a high fence around it. Travelers pleaded and pleaded with the new owner, “Please, share the fruit with us.”

The miserly merchant scoffed, “I bought this tree with my money. It’s my tree, and my fruit.”

And then an astonishing thing happened – suddenly, the ancient tree died! What could have happened? The law of giving expresses this immutable principle: when giving stops, bearing fruit ceases, and death inevitably follows.

The Tree of Life – as it will stand, and as others’ names will be added in the days to come- will serve as a testament of the fruitfulness of those who offer a part of themselves so that others might experience possibility. It will serve as a hopeful sign of the life-giving power of sharing so that others might have a more hopeful future.