Man Proposes – God Disposes

This is a story of three trees in a forest. They were young and had beautiful visions of a handsome future. The first tree prayed to be a treasure chest, so that it could be adorned with gold leaves and precious gems. It wanted to nestle in itself, jewels and treasure. The second tree prayed to be a great ship that would be used by a mighty king. The third tree just wanted to be a tree so that it could grow bigger and bigger and grow closer and closer to heaven. One dream was common to them all – they all wanted to be famous.

One day, a wood cutter came and cut the first tree. The tree was excited, thinking how soon it would be carved into a beautiful treasure chest. But alas, the woodcutter sold it to a poor carpenter, who made a box, for feeding cattle from it. A farmer filled it with hay for the horses.

Another day, the second tree was chopped down and sold to a carpenter who shattered all the wonderful ‘ship’ dreams. He made a little fishing boat from the wood. The tree was very sad indeed.

The third tree was scared of being cut, but one fateful day, it too fell to the axe. It was slivered into planks and put away into a shed.

Years went by; the trees had forgotten their dreams. But, had God forgotten?

A lady gave birth to a child in a barn. There was no crib, so the child’s father placed the baby in the feed box made from the first tree. Little did the man know that he was fulfilling the dream of a tree. The greatest treasure lay nestled in the bosom of the old feed box.

Many years later, a group of men in a fishing boat, got caught in a storm. One of the men who had been asleep, woke up and said ‘Peace!’ The storm let up and the fishing boat made of the second tree knew that it had aboard itself the ‘King of Kings’.

Lastly, a tired and weary man carried a cross made from wooden planks, through streets lined with people who jeered at him. The man was then nailed to a cross made from the planks and was raised in the air. The tree wept, for it was as close to God as it could ever have been….. for Jesus had been crucified on it.

Eventually, each of the trees got what it had prayed for. We don’t know how God plans to fulfill our dreams. His plans may not seem to be right to us, but they surely are perfect in the end.

Whatever man cannot do, God alone can. Whatever man can do, God can do better. God alone can do ‘Better than the Best.’ So, do your best and leave the rest to God.