The Tree of Life: Nature vs. Grace
Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we slow down to find the treasure within The Tree of Life. The father shows the way of nature, a path motivated by shame, fear, and scarcity. He longs for intimacy with his family, but doesn’t know how to find it. The mother reveals the way of grace, which appears foolish and naive, even weak. But by choosing forgiveness over fear, trust over scarcity, and submission over dominance, she shows the way to discover the glory and beauty we most want to find. Join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
Great stories are ones that are written so that we can find ourselves in it.
You can’t be a good treasure hunter without an intimate knowledge of the treasure you are seeking.
The way of nature leads to shame because you never feel like what you offer is good enough.
In the way of nature, you’re either prey or a predator and there’s no room for grace in the wild kingdom.
He deeply loves his sons, but doesn’t know how to prepare them for the world.
Glory is revealed through suffering.
You have to slow down in order to find the answers to the questions that matter most.
You can’t numb yourself from pain without numbing yourself to the glory and beauty.
Themes
The difficulties and fruit of two different ways of life
Way of nature (Mr. O’Brien, father)
Comes from a root of fear, competition, scarcity, harshness. Based on the idea that we can do it in our own strength. Based on power, authority, and submission.
The idea that it could always be better, that it’s never good enough
Not everything is bad—he does a lot of good things along the way. He has compassion for his sons that they have to grow up in a world that is so difficult.
Only is able to offer scraps of himself to his children, out of shame.
Feels like, “I will be the source of my children’s failure.”
All of his beauty and brilliance is crushed by fear.
He knows his behavior is pushing them away, but he doesn’t know how to do it any different.
Equates love with accomplishment.
Way of grace (Mrs. O’Brien, mother)
Appears simple or naive, sometimes weak
The only way to find the intimacy we all crave.
Forgiveness over fear, trust over scarcity, submission over dominance.
Love and laughter is given freely without condition.
Sees the beauty and joy in the world around her.
Trusts God to be her advocate and defender.
It’s slower and embraces the pain of the big questions.
Wrestles with the big questions
Is God there?
What’s he like?
Does he see me?
Why does he allow bad things to happen?
Why doesn’t he fix things that are broken?
Is it even worth it to be good?
How can I protect myself from pain?
Resources
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?” - Job 38: 4-7 (NIV)“Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” - 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NLT)
“Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?” - John 14:9 (NLT)
“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.” - Romans 7:14-20 (NLT)
“With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.” - Romans 8:1-3 (MSG)
Questions
How do your fears reveal your identity?
How is a way of grace difficult? In what way does it appear weak? What is the fruit of that way?
How would you describe the way of nature? Why does it appeal to you? Why does it appear strong? What is the fruit of that path?
What way comes most naturally to you: the way of nature or the way of grace?
Where do you feel like you will be the source of your children’s failure?
How does shame motivate you?
Where do you feel the need to defend yourself the most?
What would it be like to slow down and sit down with the big questions?
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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock.
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