The Parable of the Three 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 saw dust 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. 

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 
beam 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 ........... Author Unkown