Three trees

I wonder if you’ve heard the tale of the three trees. It’s not one I was familiar with until a few years ago. In my opinion, it’s a rather beautiful tale about ambitions and reality.

There were three trees growing on a hill top. The first tree wanted to be a beautiful treasure chest when it grew up and hold gold and jewels and precious stones. It wanted to be the most beautiful chest in the world.

The second tree wanted to be a ship, travelling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. It wanted to be the strongest ship in the world.

The third tree didn’t want to leave the hill top at all. It wanted to grow tall and point to the sky and heaven and make people look up and think of God. It wanted to be the tallest tree in the world.

Time passed, and the trees grew tall. One day, three woodcutters climbed the hill. The first saw the first tree and noticed how beautiful it was. It was perfect! So he cut the tree down and took it away. The first tree was happy, thinking it was time to become a beautiful chest and hold precious treasures.

The next woodcutter saw the second tree and noticed how strong it was. It was perfect! So he cut it down and took it away. The second tree was happy, thinking it was time to become a ship and carry mighty kings.

The third tree wasn’t happy when it saw the third woodcutter. It stood tall and proud, bravely trying to point to heaven. But the third woodcutter didn’t notice. He didn’t need anything special, any tree would do for him. So he cut down the third tree and took it away.

The first tree was taken to a carpenter. But instead of a treasure chest, it was made into a feeding trough for animals. The once beautiful tree was covered in sawdust and held hay.

The second tree was taken to a shipyard. But instead of a mighty sailing ship, it was made into a simple fishing boat. The once strong tree was taken weak for oceans and was taken to a lake instead.

The third tree was cut into strong beams and left in the lumber yard. The once tall tree lay, pointing nowhere in particular.

Time passed, and the trees nearly forgot their dreams. Then one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn in the feedbox. The father wished he could make a cradle, but the mother just smiled at the beautiful manger. And somehow, the first tree knew it was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening, a tired traveller and his friends wanted to cross the lake. So they board the single fishing boat. The traveller fell asleep and the second tree carried them all across the lake. Suddenly, a fierce storm arose and the second tree shuddered. It knew it wasn’t strong enough to carry its passengers through such a storm. But the traveller woke up and said, “Peace!” and the storm died down. And somehow, the second tree knew it was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when it was hauled away from the lumberyard. It flinched as it was carried through the jeering crowd and shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands to it. It felt ugly and cruel.

But on Sunday morning when the earth trembled with joy, the third tree know God’s love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong, a symbol of hope. Everything people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.

Each of these trees had plans and ambitions for how they’re life would turn out. They couldn’t control everything that happened to them and circumstances took them on a roundabout route. But in the end, they all achieved their dreams, just not in the way the initially thought.

I don’t know about you, but for me this last year has been a little strange, certainly unexpected. Things did not happen how I thought they would and I am not in the place I thought I would be. But I trust that God has a plan. I trust that those things I dream of being and doing are not lost or forgotten, just not here yet.

Time and again in the bible, it says how God has plans for us, things set out for us to do. Not that life is a tightrope and we mustn’t step out of line, but that there are certain things we are called to do and in listening to our hearts, being obedient when we hear God’s voice and stepping through doors when they open, we will get to the place we are meant to be. It might not be where we think it is – I’m fairly sure Simon the fisherman never expected to be a Peter, apostle and one of the leaders of the early church!

But no matter where this last year (or couple of years) has taken you, don’t lose hope in God’s plan for you. Like those three trees, the path wasn’t direct, but God had them exactly where they needed to be. He’ll do the same for you.