John came home tonight and shared this precious jem of a story with me and I couldn't help but share it with you:
THREE LITTLE 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 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 ax,
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 ax, 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 ax, 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 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 hand
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
wanted, just sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better
to give you.
Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the
wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but
his delight is in Yahweh's law; on his law he meditates day and night. He
will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit
in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall
prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives
away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous. For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but
the way of the wicked shall perish. Psalm 1:1-6 (WEB)
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Suffering
Created July 1999
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