The Tale of Three Trees

This is a folk tale that has been passed down for many years. I LOVE this folk tale! I try to read it to my children each year.  I have it in book form. I love the illustrations in the version I have.   Since it is an old tale, you can find it in many forms.  Feel free to use this to read to your children. 

  The author is unknown, but what a beautiful story of God's goodness and grace in HIS plan for our lives... Jeremiah 29:11

 

The Tale of Three Trees

Author Unknown 

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 its 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 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 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 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 feed box. "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 the 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 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...

Go therefore...

Ephesians 6:10-18

^“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  
 ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…”


        It is dark world and hard to understand.  We have a gracious and loving God who "sees the whole book" of our lives- as a world and as individuals.  It is so hard not to be able to skip to the end of the "book" and see how it ends. The time of Joah was a hard time.  He did not understand God's plan.  He begrudgingly stood alone in a sinful world, teaching the sinful city about God. 

My pastor said the other week that we need to be "saltier" and "brighter" than ever before…

Matthew 5:13-16

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.  ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that^[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

 

If the darkness is great, we need more candles.  Jesus is the light, but we need to be reflections of that light.  God sent only Jonah to Nineveh and used him to do a great work in that city (despite of himself)... God can so use us in this time of despair. As hard as it is to not become consumed by sorrow as watchers of this horrible event, and trust me, as a teacher, I do find it hard. I cannot fathom the depth of the grief of that town. We, who watch in horror, have to use it to spur us to make a change.  And I am not talking about gun control or mental health issues. Those are important in their own rights.  We need to preach “The Change” that matters.  

I love that so many of our blogging friends are talking about giving to others, without thought of self.  I have read such inspiring stories.  I have been convicted of that.  Giving is the thing. Of ourselves. Time. Money. Gifts. Prayer.  A listening ear.  All of those point to the message that we are trying to shout in the wilderness- God’s greatest gift.  Jesus.  The only person who can heal hearts and comfort hurting souls.  Not a temporal thing that we humans offer, but eternal comfort and life with Him.  

I would so appreciate your prayers for me as my mission (sad that this has to spurn me to be more mindful of it) is to be a light and witness to the dear children in MY charge at MY school.  There is a child in my class who has admitted to not being a believer.  He is so searching.  I know God is working on his heart.  I would be so grateful for prayers that my words would be seasoned with salt, and that God’s words would flow from me.

Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

I cannot change hearts, but I know someone who can…

Thank you for listening to the ramblings of my heart!

Blessings!

Heather