I Am So Glad
I Am So Glad
“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT
Once upon a mountaintop, 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 twinkling like diamonds above, “I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I will 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 a strong sailing ship. I want to travel mighty waters and carry powerful kings. I will 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 this mountaintop at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they will raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world!”
Years passed my friends, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. Now the first to thought, finally we will be made into the things we have always dreamed of. The last tree, who was perfectly happy where she was, heart sank. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to the heaven.
The woodcutter of the first tree, fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. He wouldn’t be covered with gold or filled with treasures. He was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry animals.
The second tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. He was too small and weak to sail an ocean or even a river, he was taken to a little lake, and every day he brought in loads of dead, smelly fish.
And finally the third tree was confused win the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. All she could think of is, “what’s happening here!”
Many, many days and nights passed, and the trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one-night y’all a starlight passed over the first tree, as a young woman placed her newborn baby in his feeding box. Suddenly he knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.
One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into an old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. But then there came thundering and a storm arose. The little tree was shuddered because he knew he didn’t have enough strength to carry so many through the wind and rain. But a tired man woke up and stood up and stretched out his hand and said Peace and the storm stopped. It was then 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 angry mob. Fletching she shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands to her. She felt ugly, harsh, and cruel.
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 first tree beautiful, the second 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.
This is a traditional folktale, called The Tale of Three Trees. The story I shared is from Angela Elwell Hunt. For generations the tale of three trees have been handed down from parents to children, retold in churches, sung by gospel singers and preached by ministers who saw much more in this story. The originator of the story remains to this day, unknown.
The song writer sang, I’m so glad trouble don’t last always. Oh, my Lord, oh my Lord what shall I do. I am so glad I got my religion on time. Hush, Hush, I thought I heard heaven ring. I know it should like a hammer; I know they heard it in Jerusalem streets. Oh, my Lord what shall I do.
The moral of the story I shared with you today illustrates that even when our dreams seem unfulfilled, God has a plan and can use our lives in unexpected ways. Place your trust in God and God will always give you what is best for YOU. AMEN.
Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.
