“The
Story of Three Trees”...
Once
upon a mountaintop, three little trees stood and dreamed of
what they wanted to become when they grew up.
The
first little tree looked up at the stars above her. "I
want to hold treasure," she said. "I want to be
covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I will
be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"
The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling
by on it's way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling
mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I will be the strongest
ship in the world!"
The third little tree looked down into the valley below where
busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want
to leave the mountaintop at all," she said. "I want
to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they
will raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be
the tallest tree in the world."
Years
passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees
grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.
The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This
tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop
of his shining axe, the first tree fell. "Now I shall
be made into a beautiful chest," thought the first tree.
"I shall hold wonderful treasure!"
The
second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This
tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of
his shining axe, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail
mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall
be a strong ship for mighty kings!"
The
third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked
her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to
heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any
kind of tree will do for me," he muttered. With a swoop
of his shining axe, the third tree fell.
The
first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's
shop, but the carpenter was not thinking about treasure chests.
Instead the work-worn hands fashioned the tree into a feedbox
for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with
gold or filled with treasure. She was coated with sawdust
and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.
The
second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard,
but no mighty sailing ships were made that day. Instead the
once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing
boat. Too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even
a river, she was taken to a little lake. Everyday she brought
in loads of dead, smelly fish.
The
third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong
beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?"
the once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to
stay on the mountain top and point to God."
Many,
many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot
their dreams.But one night golden starlight poured over the
first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the
feed box.
"I
wish I could make a cradle for him," her husband whispered.
The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone
on the smooth and sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful",
she said. And suddenly the first tree knew she was holding
the greatest treasure in the world.
One
evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the
old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree
quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing
storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not
have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through
the wind and rain.
The
tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and
said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it
had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew she was carrying
the King of heaven and earth.
One
Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams
were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she
was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered
when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and
harsh and cruel.
But
on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled
with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love
had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong.
And every time people thought of the third tree, they would
think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree
in the world.
The
End
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