The
Parable of the Three TreesOnce 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
