A tree has four stages.
First, it is a seed. The seed must
fall to the ground and
die before it may become a thing of
beauty.
Next, the seed becomes a sapling as it takes root
and begins to aspire to
greatness and strength.
Afterwards, it becomes a tall oak,
sheltering, protecting, reaching its dreams.
And suddenly,
it falls to the forest floor again and is
dragged off to become firewood, paneling,
flooring, or a chest and drawers.
It must sacrifice its dreams for the
good of something greater.
And so it is with us.
We too sacrifice
less important things, and reach towards
the sky with our dreams—
Growing, stretching, straining to reach that
plateau of success.
And then, just as we reach the goal, the prize—
we are cut down.
We then see what is really important—
not self-fulfillment, but God-fulfillment.
It is then that we are truly happiest—
when God, the Master Carpenter,
takes us, shapes us, breaks us, cuts us down to size,
until we become vessels of
beauty and honor, fit for the Master’s use.
No longer do we seek our own good—
it is no longer lofty enough—
but rather we fulfill our purpose in a way that is
far greater than we ever imagined.
