Sometimes Rough Is Better Than Smooth

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
   fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body 
   and nourishment to your bones.
Proverbs 3:7-8 (NIV)

Back in the day I worked in construction. I worked for a guy who built the houses from the ground up, the foundation to the roof. I had just bought a new smooth faced hammer for things like nailing off decks. For some reason I was leaving "moons" (when you miss hit the nail and the hammer head makes a mark like a half moon in the wood) all over the beautiful redwood deck.

My boss walked up and said, "Is your hammer shaped like an egg or could it be your swing?" I laughed and told him the hammer was brand new. He asked to see the hammer, looked at the face of it, ran up to the road and started to hit the pavement with my brand new 28 oz. smoothed face hammer! He was rubbing it back and forth on the road when I grabbed it and asked "What are you doing? It's brand new!" 

He chuckled and explained, "Whenever you buy a new smoothed faced hammer, you need to rough the face up a bit to give it some grip on the nails. Otherwise it will just slide right off and you will make moons all over the wood."

Sometimes we try to keep things all smooth and nice and then God allows us to get roughed up a bit. Then we find that those trials help us get a grip on our faith just a little better. Like the marks on my hammer helping, God in his infinite wisdom, uses the marks of our trials to know him more and be useful instruments in the Kingdom of God.

SERIOUSLY THOUGH.../ Titus 2:7-8

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

Titus 2:7-8

When I was just out of high school I attended Calvary Chapel's Bible School. It was at that time a very intense one semester course. Most of the teachers were in their mid to late twenties. At one point they kind of got into an unofficial competition of who could tell the best joke to "introduce" a lesson. At one point one of them got convicted because it became a distraction and took away from focusing on what they were supposed to be teaching and then  all became a bit more serious. Humor is a good, God given gift, but, it should not become the focus rather than the truth of the gospel. 

In my life I am concerned as a husband, father, coach and Scout parent/leader that my life shows integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech. What I say, how I say things and how I follow through with what I say is a direct reflection on my faith because my faith is shown by what I do. I can not tell my wife I love her yet be with someone else. I can not say I love my children yet give all my attention and time to other things. I, by faith, through the grace and power of Christ,  seek to live for Christ. 

We can with the Apostle Paul can be, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

Father, thank you that you are always faithful, even when we fall short. Strengthen us to live with integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech. Praise be to you in us today!

THE AGAINESS OF GRACE: II Timothy 4:2

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction." II Timothy 4:2

Last night my youngest son had a baseball game. It did not go well. In contrast to our last game where we almost played error free, this game was a complete error fest. One of the other father/coaches looked at me in complete frustration and said that for this time in the year we just shouldn't be having these kind of problems. As the manager (and father) I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to help the boys learn to get over a mistake, refocus and make the next play. Most importantly, I need to do it with great patience and careful instruction. 

Think of how many situations in life this truth applies. As a supervisor, manager or trainer you must be patient and skillfully instruct someone on how to do something. Even as a co-worker we need to patiently "teach". 

Spiritually speaking, we all struggle sometimes to grasp the simple truth that God's love applies to us. We all fall short. We all sin. That is not an excuse. Sometimes we struggle to grab hold of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. You might call it the againess of grace.

When we are given the opportunity to help someone live by faith we need to "teach" with great patience and careful instruction. Remember the amazing patience that God's is displaying toward you at this very moment. As Christ is patient with us, we need to be patient with others. Teach with the againess of grace. 

Father, thank you for your great patience with me! Praise be to you in us today!