The Three Trees
Retold by Joanie Whitman Barkhouse
Three little seedlings were planted in a row, by nature and her helpers.
They began to grow, as the sun warmed them there, on the hilltop.
The first little tree looked up into the clear night sky
at the stars twinkling there, and declared:
"I want to hold treasure as shiny and as precious as the stars!
I want to be clad in silver and gold, and be filled with gemstones.
I want to be the most handsome treasure box in the world!"
The second little tree was watching the nearby stream,
as it trickled and gurgled and ran merrily on its way...
through the woods, to the river, and on to the sea.
"I want to become a mighty ship!", he exclaimed,
"and carry kings and princes and exotic cargo all around the world!"
The third little tree gazed down into the valley below,
Where busy people did busy things in their busy village, all day long.
"I want to stay right here," he said,
"and grow into the tallest and strongest tree in the world.
I want people to come and look up at me,
and then on up into the sky, and think about God in Heaven!"
After many years of rain and sun and wind,
the three trees had grown strong and tall.
One day, three woodsmen approached the three trees.
The first woodsman was pleased with the first tall tree,
and he cut it down with his mighty axe.
The second woodsman looked the second tall tree all over,
and declared as he felled it, that it was perfect for his task.
The third tall tree trembled and could only look on in despair,
as the third woodsman muttered something under his breath,
and cut it down, without even looking up to see it, and the sky.
The first tree was excited, as the woodsman sold it to a carpenter.
But instead of a beautiful treasure chest, he fashioned it
into a rough box, to hold feed for animals.
The second tree smiled happily, as the second woodsman sold him to a shipyard.
But instead of a mighty sailing ship,
he was fashioned into a sturdy fishing boat.
The third tree was still very sad, but became distressed,
when the third woodsman left it at a lumber mill.
Soon it was sawn into beams, and left out to dry in the weather.
Months and years passed, and the three trees had accepted their fates,
and had long forgotten to wish and to dream.
BUT one moonlit night, a young woman placed her tiny son into the feedbox.
"I wish we had a cradle for him", his father sighed.
But his mother only smiled wisely and said; "This manger will do."
Suddenly the first tree realized he was holding the Greatest Treasure in all the world!
Many years later, one dark night, a stranger
stepped into the battered old fishing boat, and lay down to rest.
The second tree tried to rock gently, as the tired man slept,
but a fierce storm arose, and he was almost upset!
The stranger was awakened by his friends, and he stood up and said;
"Peace, be still!"
And the second tree knew that he was carrying the King of Kings!
Many months later, on the Friday before Passover, the third tree
was pulled from among the pile in the old lumberyard.
It was formed into a rough cross, then carried and dragged
through the busy city streets, while an angry mob shouted all around it.
It was pushed into a prepared hole, and long spikes were driven into it.
It was raised against a blackened sky, and it felt ugly and scorned.
BUT on the third day, when the sun rose and the earth shook with joy,
the third tree knew God's Love had changed it forever and ever!
God had turned it into something more beautiful than the tallest tree.
God's love had made it the symbol of His Love for eternity
and everytime anyone thought of The Cross,
they would look up to the sky, and thank God in heaven!
None of the trees got what he wished for, but
each of the trees got what he wanted.
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