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 be traveling mighty waters and
carrying 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 ax, the first tree fell.
"Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful
treasure!" The first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree
is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his ax, the second tree
fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I
shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

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 ax, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a
carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals.
The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure.
She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm
animals.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but
no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree
was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small
and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river; instead she was
taken to a little lake.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong
beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall
tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point
to God..."

Many, many days and night 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 as the starlight shone on the
smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful." she said.
And suddenly the first tree knew he 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. She knew she did not have the strength to carry
so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.

The tired man awakened. 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 she 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 carried
through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed
a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and 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.

It had made the third 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.