Three Trees

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 carvings and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty 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 might 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 there 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 cam 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 is 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.