Once upon a mountain, 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 travel mighty waters and carry 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 shiny axe, the first tree fell. The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me." With a swoop of his shiny axe, the second tree fell. 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 shiny axe, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But no treasure chests were being made that day. Instead, the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals. The once-beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.
The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took him to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ships were being made that day. Instead, the once-strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. He was too small and too weak to sail an ocean--or even a river.
The third tree was confused when the woodcutter took her to a lumberyard. She was cut into strong beams, dropped into a pile, and forgotten.
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. "This manger is beautiful," she said. 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. He knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. 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 wood-pile. 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, 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. Every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. And that was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
