By Stephanie Salisbury

There’s this story at the beginning of the Bible. It’s been allegorical throughout history. It’s a garden, a couple of humans and two trees — one allowed, one forbidden.

So what do the idiots do? They eat from the forbidden tree.

Every time you read it, you think, “WHY?! It’s so obvious. Don’t do what you’re not supposed to do. Do things the right way.” But we all make the same choice. It’s just not in the shape of fruit.

But is rule-following the heart of the issue? Nope, or else what Jesus did on the cross would have been pointless. After reading and studying over the last several years, I’m in awe at the simplicity of it every single time.

It’s about grace.

The two trees are the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. What never made sense until now is that they’re tied to grace versus legalism. If we have “knowledge of good and evil,” and we choose to eat from that tree… we’re putting all of our works up in hopes of salvation, saying that what we can accomplish is more important than what Jesus already accomplished.

We get up in the morning and make our to-do lists, checking them off as we go: Bible reading, devotions, charity, tithing, rest, prayer. If we get them all “right,” God will love us more, right? If we get one wrong, we’d better beg forgiveness or He won’t love us as much, right?

Isn’t that exhausting?

The Tree of Life is the Tree of Grace. Its fruit is forgiveness, favor and unconditional love. God’s love is the only flawless love that is, was and ever will be. Human love is tied to human works.

Marriages, friendships, familial relationships — so much of it is cause and effect. Sure, there are flashes of unconditional love, but we’re flawed humans so our love is flawed as well.

Knowing that we can’t ever go through life checking off every box on the to-do list with perfection, isn’t it a complete comfort to know that there are two trees?

Our choice isn’t to be good or to be bad.

Our choice is to accept grace or reject grace.

It all depends on the tree you’re eating from.

 

You can read more of local writer Stephanie Salisbury’s “A Journey of Reinvention” columns on Facebook or at www.AJourneyofReinvention.com.