A modern parable by Steven W. Hunter (A tool for teaching parables)

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO TREES by Steven W. Hunter 

(Use this original example of parables to teach students about Jesus's parables.  Start by explaining parables, read some of Jesus's parables, then follow-up with this modern parable.  Then, encourage them to write or make a video telling their own unique parable under 5 minutes in length.)

There once grew a tree unlike any of the others.  Immediately it began shooting upward growing quickly.  It became stronger, with incredible large sun attracting leaves, and bark tough like iron.  Its roots grew a mile in the soil, and its branches began reaching upward day by day toward the sky.  Eventually, this great tree through its own efforts pierced the canopy of the forest and began overshadowing even the most ancient of great trees.  This tree’s height continued unhindered as it reached still higher for the sun until one day it hit its zenith far above all the others.  Having achieved all that it set out to do with great ability, personal ambition, and success, it then spread its branches outward.  The limbs thick like great boulders reached outward, growing, growing, and growing to the width of an entire valley until it could grow no greater.  The birds of the forest nested in it and animals would seek its protection from the weather.  All the inhabitants of the forest both men and animals marveled at its greatness.  Truly this must be the most majestic, most noteworthy, mighty, and powerful of all the trees.

     In the shadow of the great tree lived a small fruit tree.  It was tightly crowded by thick underbrush.  Thin, scrawny, with few leaves, it lived in the sparse sunlight of the heavily shaded section overshadowed by the great tree.  It was simply grateful to have one small sunbeam coming through with which to sustain it.  It did not stand out and looked like all the other meager ordinary underbrush.  It generously gave its fruit to the animals.  Often there was not even one small fruit left to fall and fertilize its own roots.  It seemed unconcerned for itself and lived humbly, thankful for whatever it had.  It lived completely dependent upon the grace of God.  Surely, it was one of the lowest of the trees in the forest.

         The great tree looked upon the little fruit tree with disdain at times mocking it and starving it for light.  The great tree boasted, “Nothing is greater than I am in all the forest.  If it were not for the constraints of the mountains on each side, I would grow outward to cover the whole earth and dominate it!”  The great tree towered above the forest and it spread outward wherever it pleased.  One day about noon, the great tree was standing majestically, proudly above the forest.  He spoke boastfully of his greatness, his ability, his strength, his size, his reach, and his accomplishments.  Although an entire family of trees had perished under his canopy, he was unremorseful and uncompassionate for he alone had strived to become a tree of legendary size! 

     That same hour, a strong wind suddenly began to blow.  It blew through the mountains, and the skies on the horizon became dark.  (RAIN/THUNDER AUDIO) The entire forest feared the storm, but the great tree stood defiant.  He had withstood many storms and had resisted strong winds without ever losing a single limb.  He scoffed at this new storm as well.  The winds increased, and the wrath of the storm hit the entire valley.  Men ran for their houses and animals scampered for cover.  The small fruit trees did their best to shelter the animals.  Enduring boldly it seemed that nothing could bend this giant tree.  Then, out of nowhere (DROP BOOK) a single bolt of lightning flashed, and it struck down the giant tree disintegrating the branches, splitting the core, and killing its deep roots.  In a single second, the great tree and all that it strived to become was no more. (END AUDIO) 

This is the point at which Jesus would end a public parable teaching due to an unreceptive and often hostile audience.  Later, he would explain to those who inquired for understanding.  So, I will explain it to you.

     We are often like the great tree, rising up in selfish ambition.  We have talents so great but don’t acknowledge from whom they came, never satisfied, and constantly desiring more.  We mock our Creator and have disdain for God’s followers mistaking meekness for weakness.  We greedily seek to gratify the ever-growing lusts of our heart.  The people of the world praise us for our external appearance, marvel at our greatness, and pay us tribute.  Our friends and family become collateral damage, choked out in this narcissistic self-glorification.  We stand boldly defiant until one day our lives on this earth are no more.  We created nothing of value, did nothing of lasting significance, and lived for nothing but ourselves.  In the end, all that is left is fragmented destruction that falls on those around us.

     Instead, we should seek to live lives like the little fruit tree.  He grew up humble, meek, and dependent.  In his life, he expressed great thankfulness and generosity.  He was content and looked out for his neighbors and his family.  The giant tree perished.  He was quickly forgotten, but the small fruit tree remained faithful, waiting on the provision of his Creator.  Today, nobody who visits the valley even remembers the giant tree.  They don’t notice the individual little fruit trees that fill the valley either, but they see the overall beauty of them in the legacy the little fruit tree humbly nurtured in this place and praise God.