Verse of the Day - Ecclesiastes 10:10

Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.
~ Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NLT)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ + ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I love my car mechanic! I mean, they are a great bunch of people, honest, hard-working, treat women fairly, never do repairs unnecessarily. I recommend them to anyone who needs car repair. There's just one thing that doesn't make sense: they don't use a computer! Yeah, they had one, but when it crashed, the owner, who's older and soon to retire, just never replaced it. So work orders are written out by hand, and the hard copies with keys are all over the counter in piles, trying to keep the "to do's" from the "been done's" and the "has appointments" from the "walk in's". One mechanic walks in and says, "Where're the keys to the Explorer?" And then begins the hunt on the counter. They're so good at what they do, I just sit in the waiting room thinking, Gee, they could be so much more efficient...less headaches trying to keep things straight, if they would just get a computer!

Some people simply are not comfortable with new technology. And some allow the effects of time and wear to go unremedied, and simply become less effective or ineffective...like a dull ax. Ever tried cutting a tomato with a dull knife?...And how many keep living with a dull knife, even though they know it would make things so much easier in the kitchen to just sharpen it? It seems a bother to pull out the sharpener, so we fight the tomato instead. It should be a big DUH, but we seem to fight against a little maintenance and upkeep/upgrading. Why is that?

I think the reason is that we get lulled into mediocrity. A dull knife works okay, cuts most things...and so we just live with it. But we forget how great it is when it cuts well! We run around tired all the time but are able to function okay...and so we just keep staying up late and not eating right. But we forget what it's like to be in top physical health! Mediocrity runs rampant in our lives and we end up working harder, not smarter. Why to we allow ourselves to be duped into sub-standard health and habits?

Maybe because we lose sight of a vision. We run around doing tasks, and forget to see long-range, the big picture. If we're just worker bees, we're not in charge of the hive. So away we buzz, back and forth, back and forth, lulled by our own buzzing into routine, without vision for the broader scope. We need to become a hive manager, understanding what works well and making sure maintenance is done on our tools and equipment so that we're working smarter, not harder. It's simply a matter of perspective.

And is our spiritual walk any different than our physical walk? Are we lulled into a mediocre walk with the Lord, stuck in a rut with no vitality, just doing the same thing week after week, with no sharpening of our spiritual blades? If so, it's no wonder alot of unchurched people think Christians look sour, like they drank vinegar. We need to sharpen our axes, so we can be vibrant in our walk with God and be effective in our work for Him!

So, how do we do that? One way is to allow God to sharpen our hearts and minds by being willing to file down the nicks on our blades. Sharpening can cause sparks and be painful, but it is necessary if we're going to have a good cutting edge. Getting rid of the roughness of bitterness, fearfulness, and selfishness can and will make us one sharp tool, ready and able to be used in a mighty way for God. And our relationship with Him will take much less effort and with greater joyous freedom when we allow Him to grind away the imperfections we've allowed to mar our blade for so long.

Work smarter, not harder. And help God help you. Give Him freedom to take your blade...your heart and mind...to the grinder, and get rid of the things that keep you from being a vibrant believer in Jesus, and a servant for His Kingdom!

Love,
Joelene