How God Created Monkeys by Ron Hinchley, March 23, 2007
Now back in the dawn people lived and slept in the trees so they were
protected from the fierce beasts that roamed the forest floor. Gathering food as they needed that the forest would provide in the branches, fruits and insects, sometimes venturing to the forest floor for other necessities. Living in small groups there was contentment and a good measure of peace. Then one day God spoke to them as he had done before calling them. God said, "Come down from the trees, stand upright and go out into the fields and grow food from the rich soil I provide for you. There you will build shelters and protect your selves with the tools I will teach you how to make and use."
There was great confusion and much debate on whether it was the right thing to do and very soon the groups were divided on what to do. The arguments were very compelling. One person said, ”You will go out and spend the nights exposed to the ferocious beasts,” and this was true because it could not be argued, there were no shelters out in the fields and if you left you would be exposed to the great beasts that hunted in the day and the other beasts that hunted in the night. Another said rightly there was no food in the fields for it had not yet been grown and there is no fruit where there are no trees and this could not be argued either. One person said “There are no tools,” and this could not be argued because it was true. They would not be able to protect themselves and work the soil without tools. More people were feeling that wisdom was with caution and it may be better to stay in the trees.
Some time had passed and the discussion had settled down. Most people were content to let the controversy rest rather than do something. But a small group of people decided to go out into the fields anyway. They did not venture far from the edge of the forest and returned often during the summer to collect fruit. The people in the trees watched them closely and as they expected many were taken and eaten by the beasts that hunted by day and also by the beasts that hunted by night. As their numbers grew smaller they learned how to fashion tools to protect themselves and to work the soil. But their numbers were decreasing.
The people who remained in the trees watched them from the branches. They saw them working in the hot sun toiling all day in the fields. They saw them eaten by the beasts that hunted in the day and the beasts that hunted in the night. They saw them build shelters to protect themselves from the beasts and they saw them lay up food which they had finally grown. The people living in the field were not decreasing in number now.
Yet they were not happy in the fields as they had been in the trees among the fruit, the cool breezes and the safety the trees offered. All wondered why God had commanded them to leave. So many had died and life was so hard for them. Their numbers were not growing smaller but there was so few of them left. Feeling the sting of being outcasts and the rejection by their brothers and sisters hurt as deeply as the mortal wounds inflicted by the giant fangs of the beasts that hunted in the night and the beasts that hunted in the day. They asked God why they toiled so hard in the field and demanded the answer to the purpose of their suffering. Hadn't they obeyed God's command to go out into the fields?
God heard their cries and one day God spoke to the people who lived in the trees saying to them, “I will not call on you again as I have done for all generations of people before you. You have waited and see, shelters are built, food is prepared and defense against the beasts that hunt in the day and the beasts that hunt in the night is at hand. But I will not punish you or even chastise you for not obeying my command, for some it is destined that they shall lead.” The people who lived in the trees knew the terrible losses and the bravery it took to go out into the fields without shelter and without tools to grow food without protection from the beasts that hunted in the day and the beasts that hunted in the night. They were amazed that God would not punish them at all. Some people left then and joined their friends in the field and were amazed that they were welcomed with such enthusiasm and celebration. For many days the people welcomed the new arrivals, blessing their good fortune and thanking God that their twin burden had been made light.
The others did not listen to God and stayed behind thinking it was better to live as they had always lived having the protection of the trees and the food that the forest provided without toil and labor. Then God said, "I told you I would not call on you again. You have made your choice to stay and therefore you are complete.” The people in the trees were frightened and cowered for they that were left were like that. But God loved all creation and he also loved them in spite of their weakness and said to them, “I will perfect you according to the choices you have made," for God truly loved all his creation, even giving them the spirit within himself that they could make decisions for themselves. Thus they became perfected for all their generations to live in the trees of the forest, for they were willful and wanted to swing and play and eat fruit from trees. God perfected and loved them and let them enjoy creation as long as the forests will endure.
With time the distance grew between the people and those who stayed behind in the trees of the forest. After a while having less in common they could no longer understand each other. When people would come into the forest to collect trees to build shelters those who stayed behind, which are called monkeys, would hide in the branches, sometimes throwing fruit down on the heads of the people. And as God had said He perfected them for their purpose and the people looked not at all like the monkeys anymore because God had another purpose for the people he called. And God continued to call on the people from time to time but he did not call on the monkeys for they were complete according to their needs.