06/12/2017
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 its 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 on 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. And 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. The next time you feel
down because you didn’t get
what you want, sit tight and be
happy because God is thinking
of something better to give you