The Love of a Parent

Lehi's account of his vision of the tree of life has meant something different to me as I have become a parent. In his dream, Lehi partakes of the fruit and finds it filled his soul with, "exceedingly great joy." The first thing he desires after partaking is that his family experience the same joy by also eating the fruit.
As a parent I can relate to Lehi's great desire. I have experienced so much joy as I have lived the gospel, had my prayers answered and felt of God's love for me. I want so much for my children to have those same experiences! But, as I learned about 10 years ago, you can't force feed a child. No matter how many times you try to shove something down their throat, they don't have to swallow.
To his delight, Nephi, Sariah and Sam choose to partake of the fruit. Laman and Lemuel did not. After he woke, Lehi was so concerned about his two eldest sons that he, "did exhort them with all the feeling of a tender parent." In the end, however, they just didn't swallow and Lehi kept teaching and exhorting them all his life, even as he lay on his death bed. I can only imagine the heartache that he felt.
I wonder if this is how our Father in Heaven, the perfect parent, feels when His children choose not to partake of the fruit. He could have forced us to obey, to swallow the fruit. But, that was not the best way, not His plan. Just as the iron rode provided a way for the people in Lehi's dream to get to the tree of life, Heavenly Father has provided the tools that we need to return to Him. In the end though, we all must choose for ourselves.