The Three Little Trees
Once upon a mountain top, 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 and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be
covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll 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'll 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 mountain top at all. I want to grow so
tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll 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, I shall hold
wonderful treasure!" The first tree said. 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 fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals. The once beautiful
tree was not covered with gold, nor 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 ship was made that day.
Instead
the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was
too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river; instead she was
taken to a little lake. 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 night 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 feedbox. "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 the sturdy
wood."
This manger is beautiful," she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he
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 with the wind and
the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said,
"Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. Suddenly the
second tree knew he 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
tremble 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.
So
next time you feel down because you didn't get what you want, just sit tight
and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.
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