Many years ago, a dogwood tree grew on a hill outside of Jerusalem. In those days, the dogwood tree was as tall and mighty as an oak, and this tree was the tallest of all the dogwoods, and extremely proud of its strength.

“Something wonderful is going to happen to me,” it said to anyone who would listen. “I'll probably become the mast that holds the big sail on a grand ship, or the main timber supporting a great house.”

Unfortunately, the huge old dogwood was cut down to become the cross on which Jesus was nailed. The tree was horrified. All its dreams of glory were smashed, and it groaned in agony as two boards from its trunk were nailed together.

Jesus took pity on the dogwood tree, even as He carried it to Calvary. “You will never be put to such use again,” He told it. “From this day on, your shape will change, even as well as the world. You will become slender and sway easily with the freeze. And, instead of acorns, you will bear flowers in the shape of a cross ... with two long and two short petals. In the center of the outer edge of each petal, there will be nail prints ... brown with rust and red with blood stains to show the world how you have suffered.”

Last of all, the center, of your flowers will be marked as though with a crown of thorns to remind people forevermore, that you and I spent our last moments together.”

And so it was. And so it is.

(Author unknown)

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Dr. Charles M. Wood, II is the pastor of The Christian Church in Logan, and an accomplished instructor of psychology and religion at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. He is a Christian counselor in Logan - serving, ministering, and donating his time to people from all denominations.

If you would like to contact Dr. Wood, please write: The Logan Banner, c/o The Good Life With Dr. Wood, P.O. Box 720, Logan, WV 25601; or call (304) 752-4658. All letters addressed to Dr. Wood will be forwarded to his office.