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 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; now 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 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.
"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
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 trembled 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 Unknown
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