From the Hilltop

A few years ago I heard this story of three trees on a hill. The story was a very powerful one that has stayed with me. So here's the story as best as I can remember it.


There once were three trees on a hill. Each of these trees had hopes for their lives. The first tree wished to be made into a beautiful treasure chest that people would be awestruck when they beheld the wonders he held. The second tree longed more than anything to be a mighty boat that people would wonder at his strength. The third tree just wished to stay on the hilltop. He wanted nothing more than to grow tall, reaching towards heaven. And he wished that when people saw him people might begin to hope a little more.

One day some men came to the hill with axes. The first man approached the first tree and said, "This tree has fine wood. It will be good enough for me." With that the man chopped down the tree and hauled it away. The second man approached the second tree and said, "This tree has stong wood. It will be good enough for me" and he chopped down the second tree. The last man approached the third tree and said, "Anything is good enough for me" and he chopped down the tree.

The first tree grew very excited when he overheard the man talking about how best to piece together his wood so as not to spill anything. "Surely I will be made into a beautiful treasure chest!" But when the man finished he was nothing more than an ugly manger for cattle to feed from. The tree was severly dissapointed and wished he had stayed on the hilltop.

The second tree grew very excited when he heard the man talking about his seaworthiness. "Surely I will be made into the greatest boat that ever sailed the seas!" But instead the tree was made into a small fishing boat that only sailed a small lake. The tree was dissapointed and wished he had never left the hilltop

The third tree was saddened that he had been cut down. All he wanted was to grow to the heavens. The man just cut him into rough beams and threw him on the wood pile. "why," the tree wondered, "was I taken away from my hilltop?"

Then one night as the first tree was waiting for morning a young couple came into his stable. They had with them a newborn child. The woman laid the child softly in the manger. Suddenly the tree realized he was holding the greatest treasure in all the Earth. As others came to visit the child they were awestuck by his treasure. "Truley I have gotten my wish" the tree though happily.

Year and years later that same child, now a man, stepped into the small plain fishing boat. The tree was glad to be of help but had long ago given up his hopes of showing the world great strength. Then as the man and his friends sat in the boat a great storm came up. The tree was worried but rode the waves bravely. Suddenly the man shouted at the wind and water to be quiet. Immediatly the water became peaceful. The tree at that moment realized the strength he held. "Truley I have gotten my wish"

The third tree lay on the wood pile neglected. He had despaired of all his dreams the moment he had been cut down. Then one day rough hands pulled his beams out of the pile. He was given to a beaten man to carry through town. As people hurled insults at the man the tree felt uglier and uglier. Finally the man stumbled up a hill and was nailed to the tree. The tree felt uglier than ever and wished even more fevrently he had never left his hill. "people will never find hope in heaven when they see me now" the tree thought. Then as the man died he said, "It is finished" The tree then realized he carried the hope of the earth on his beams. "Truley my wish has been fufilled"

To this day the cross symbolizes hope.



I originally wrote this because I wished to explain my story Wood of the Cross. Some of you may have noticed I deleted Wood of the Cross I did that because I felt that this was the more important story. But thanks to everyone who read it and thanks to Faith who wrote for it!