31 Days of Christmas – Day #29

Once Upon A Tree

Once upon a hill, three trees were standing tall;
Dreaming what they’d like to be, if trees can dream at all.
One tree longed for palaces, another treasures rare,
The third tree chose to forever stand, pointing men to God.

More than anything, the first tree wanted to be part of a beautiful palace where one day a great king would dwell. The second chose to be made into a large, seaworthy ship, sailing all the oceans of the world with great treasure.
The third tree wanted to stay right where he was. He dreamt of growing so high that whenever men saw him, he would cause their eyes to look to heaven, and then they’d think of God. He wanted to be the tallest tree in the world.
Those trees shared their dreams for years. And don’t you know it was a happy day for the first tree when the axe cut him down and he was carried into town. But he wasn’t made into a palace. Instead, he became a feed box for cattle and was thrown into a barnyard. His dreams were gone. No king would ever see him now.
The second tree fell to the axe and was thrilled when they took him to the shipyard, but oh, the disappointment! No beautiful ship to sail the oceans of the world would he become. Instead, rough hands fashioned him into a fishing boat. No treasure here, just failure and loneliness.
The third tree tried to stop the woodsman, but the man wouldn’t hear. He chopped the tree, cut him in two, and tossed him in back of the carpenter’s shop to be forgotten. And all he ever wanted to be was the tallest tree in the world.
Then one day, God’s love touched the little feed box, and that first tree finally got his wish and housed a King the night that Mary laid her baby in the manger.
And the second tree — the lonely, smelly fishing boat — his day came when a man was walking by the seashore. The crowds were so great, they were pushing him into the water. A fisherman spoke up, “Master! Use my boat for a pulpit. You’ll be safe here.” Jesus stepped in, and the tree knew he was carrying the greatest treasure the world had ever known.
The third tree didn’t understand when they took his two pieces and crossed them. He cried when they nailed Jesus to him and lifted him up. All he had ever wanted to do was grow tall and point people to God. Finally, as the crowd began to look to the heavens, he realized he had his wish and humbly held the Savior.