I love Zenos’s allegory of the olive trees. In particular, I love the emotion expressed by the master of the vineyard. He is no absentee grower. Instead, whenever the olive trees bring forth bad fruit or when he has to contemplate cutting down the trees, it it grieves him. This compassion illustrates the compassion God shows for each one of us when we sin. Even when God has to prune and cut down the tree, he is grieved that he has to hurt his precious trees.

The Lord of the vineyard does everything he possibly can to save his trees. So to, does God do everything he possibly can for our eternal salvation. And when we do not accept it, he is grieved.

I love knowing that God is personally concerned about my growth and development. He will do whatever he can to help prune out the bad branches in order that my good roots can bring forth good fruit.