“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 stop to 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 wood cutters climbed the mountain.
The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, ‘This tree is perfect for me,’ With a swoop of his 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 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 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 . . .
The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard . . .
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 feedbox . . .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 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 trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God’s love had changed everything . . .
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.”
Source unknown
I love this little story that my mother used to tell. I consider it a type of parable, a simple story used to illustrate a spiritual truth. The Story of the Three Trees powerfully connects the spiritual truths of Christmas and Easter. Jesus came to earth as a baby at Christmas and slept in a manger bed. He dwelt among men and miraculously calmed a raging storm at sea from a small wooden fishing boat. He died on a cruel wooden cross at the hands of mortal men on the day we call Good Friday. Triumphantly, Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday to set sinners free from the wages of their sin.
HALLELUJAH and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Elsie