Not just a tree

There was once a tree that distributed seeds. Some were eaten by animals. Other landed upon rocks and could not take root. Some were washed away or scorched by the sun. But from these thousands of seeds, one found fertile ground. Early in this seedling’s life there were constant threats to its existence. Many of the other seedlings succumbed, but this particular tree continued to grow into a small tree. Nutrients from the soil fed the tree. Its roots ran deep and every year it became sturdier. This tree supplied shade for those who would sit underneath it and was a home for birds. People passed by and admired its beauty. For generations the tree stood firm. It survived against all odds when so many others had not. But it was not the environment that killed the tree. Men came one day and began to look at all the trees in the orchard. With an axe they began to chop the sturdy trunk of the tree. Each swing made the tree weaker. The wood crackled as the weight of the tree began to betray it. It violently fell to the ground. The branches were cut off and the tree was sent to be modified. The only reminder of the tree was a stump. It was dragged from the orchard. This tree could have become a piece of fine furniture. However, it found itself in the hands of a laborer. He began to chop. Woodchips flew as he carved up the tree. Sweat dripped off his brow as he planed the wood. When he had finished, it was taken from his workshop. It was no longer a tree. When it arrived at its destination, it was put on the back of a carpenter to be carried through the streets of Jerusalem. The tree had become the cross that Jesus would hang upon. - Jay