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 in 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 axe, the first tree
fell and said, “Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest; I shall hold wonderful
treasure!”
The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong. It is
perfect for me.” With a swoop of his 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 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 feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was
not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with sawdust 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 an ocean, or
even a river. Instead, she was taken to a small lake.
The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into long 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 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 feed box. “I wish I could make a cradle for him,” her husband whispered.
The new 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 she 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 she 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 and 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. Every time people thought of the third tree, they would
think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world. 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. Like the trees…In their hearts humans
plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
Blessings, Ben