Once there were three trees on a hill in
the woods. They were discussing their hopes and
dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope
to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with
gold, silver and precious gems. I could be
decorated with intricate carving and everyone
would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will
be a might ship. I will take kings and queens
across the waters and sail to the corners of the
world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of
the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be
the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People
will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and
think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am
reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all
time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would
come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When
one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a
strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood
to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree
was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make
him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like
a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."
The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way
to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was
frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his
dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I
don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this
one," and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made
into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn
and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed
for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat.
His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had
come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces
and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the
trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave
birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box
that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he
could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would
have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event
and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made
from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to
sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm
arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to
keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He
stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this
time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings
in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried
through the streets as the people mocked the man who was
carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed
to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a
hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it
was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be
as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been
crucified on it.
If you'd
like a moral for this story, it's this. . .
When things don't seem to be going your way, always
know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust
in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees
got what they wanted, just not in the way they had
imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for
us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His
ways are always best.
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