Thursday, April 21, 2011

God's Love Has Changed the World

Once upon a time, on a mountain were three trees. Each of them had a dream. The first tree dreamed of being made into a treasure box. The second one dreamed of being made into a war ship. She dreamed of carrying the greatest general who wins a lot of battles. And the last tree dreamed of being made into a building. Not long while they discuss about their dreams when a woodcutter came.



The first tree was cut into pieces and was made into a feeding box. She was put in a stable and from then on, she holds water and animal feeds until she became stinky and dirty. She was disappointed of what had happened to her dream.

The second tree was made into a boat and was sold to a fisherman. From that day,  she brings fishermen to the sea and she keeps on holding dead and stinky fishes. Like the first tree, she felt disappointed as well.

The third tree had her branches removed and was polished and then was cut into two. Her two pieces was then joined against each other. She was then set aside. She was wondering what had happened to her dream.

One day, a young couple came to the stable. The feeding box saw that the young woman gave birth and the newborn child was placed in her. When she saw the star above her with some people coming and bowing and kneeling before the newborn baby she was holding, she felt that she is now something special. She was now holding the Greatest Treasure of all.



Many years passed, the boat now has her own owner. One day, a man, a teacher who seems popular among the people sat in her while teaching them. Later, she took this man with his owner and some of his friends to the sea. Then, a storm came. She was very afraid. She find it helpless to save those people she was carrying. But, she heard the teacher says, "Be still!" And suddenly, the harsh wind was turned into a gentle breeze and the sea indeed became still. She felt happy that she may not be a war ship but she was now carrying the Lord of Heaven and Earth.



Few years have passed and it was one Friday morning when a soldier grabbed the cut tree. She was then placed on the shoulder of a man who was covered with sweat, dirt and blood. She was afraid when this man frequently fell because of her. She was even surprised when that man was nailed on her. And for three hours, both she and the man endured the shame and ridicule of  people around them. After the man died, she was left on a sad, barren hill.



Early Sunday morning, in a distance, the tomb where the man was buried shone with great light.

The tree smiled as she understood that the man was the same baby who made her friend, the feeding box precious. He was the teacher who made her friend, the boat famous. And she, the cross, which was a symbol of shame became an instrument of God's salvation.

God's love has changed the world. Christ makes the cross beautiful.

1 comment:

  1. May the meaning of this Good Friday celebration be with us always--- how Christ came to gave our lowly lives their meaning.

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