I have been
cutting construction paper Christmas trees for the annual Church Christmas
party “make and take” craft game. The trees are about 6” high, and use four
different colors of paper to give them contrast, and kind of a 3D look. They
remind me of a story I heard about the three trees…
Three
beautiful pines were dreaming about what they would eventually become. One had
plans for becoming this, while the
other had plans for becoming that, still
the third tree wanted to become something completely different. One day a
logger came and removed the trees from their place in the forest, and each tree
went to a different mill. The tallest tree became beams for the temple in
Jerusalem. The smallest tree became lumber for furniture, and was eventually
fashioned into a baby crib by a carpenter named Joseph. The last tree was cut
into rough timber, and was crudely built into a cross upon which the Son of God
was crucified.
Three trees
with different destinies; two for noble purposes and one destined for the
purpose of suffering. Unlike trees, you and I have a choice in how our lives
turn out. Yet the lesson from the trees is that no matter what we become, God
will use us to fit His unique purposes.
