Consider the parable of the tools. The Carpenter’s Tools had a conference. Brother Hammer was in the presiding chair.
The group rose up against him and demanded that he leave because he was too noisy. “He was always knocking somebody,” they said.
“I’ll leave,” said Brother Hammer, “but Brother Gimlet must go too. He is so insignificant and makes very little impression. All he does is punch holes in things ”
Brother Gimlet rose up and said, “All right, but Brother Screw must leave also. You have to turn him around and around again to get him to do anything.”
Brother Screw said, “If you wish, I will go, but Brother Plane must leave too. All his work is done on the surface. There is never any depth to what he does.”
To this Brother Plane replied, “Brother Rule must also withdraw if I am to leave. He is always measuring others as though he were the only one who is right.”
Brother Rule began to complain about Sister Sandpaper. “What about her? She’s rougher than she ought to be and is always rubbing somebody the wrong way. Nobody can get along with her.”
In the midst of the discussion, the Carpenter walked in. He put on his apron, went to the bench and began to work on the pulpit from which the Gospel will be preached to the poor. He employed the screw, gimlet, the sandpaper, the saw, the hammer, the plane, and the rule, and all the other tools.
After the day’s work was over, Brother Saw arose and said, “Brethren, I perceive that all of us are laborers together with God.”
How many of us as Christians are like tools? The Carpenter uses them all. “We are laborers together with God.”
Is this parable timely for your church service? Let us be available for God to use, direct, and help us work together as laborers with him.
Christian Writer 