In the Masnavi, during the lion's debate with the prey animals over exertion (jahd) versus trust (tawakkul), the metaphors of the ladder and the spade represent divine intentionality and human agency. The ladder represents the step-by-step progress required to achieve spiritual or worldly goals, demonstrating that passive determinism is a foolish expectation when tools are provided. The spade given to a servant by a master represents an implicit command; even without words, the possession of the tool clearly indicates the expectation of work. Thus, Rumi argues that God's gift of physical and intellectual faculties to humans is an implicit command to use them actively.