Cutting with a Dull Blade

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A young man wandered through a logging camp on his eighteenth birthday. He had been raised around lumbering communities and admired the strong lumberjacks. He told the boss that he wanted a job. Seeing that the boy was strong and healthy, the employer quickly agreed. The first day out, the young man cut down ten large trees single-handed.

The next day, the boy worked equally as hard and dropped eight trees. This was quite respectable. The boss was elated at the young man’s skill as a lumberjack. The rest of the week was a diminishing record of successes, although the same amount of energy and effort was expended. On Friday, the boss called the boy into his office after noticing that he had yet to fell one tree. The sun was going down. The boy had worked vigorously all day. He was ashamed because he had produced so little and tears began to roll down his face as he went into the office.

"Sir," he said, "I’m working harder, but I’m afraid I’m a disappointment to you. I have yet to fell one tree today."

"Why do you do so little?" the boss asked.

"I’m really trying, sir," the response came.

"Have you taken time to sharpen your axe, boy?"

The boy answered, "No, sir, I really haven’t had time because I have been so busy working."

Consider another scene. There was a church with many dedicated workers. They seemed to go on tirelessly with one program after another. The activity level of the group was pushed to unbelievable proportions; but something was missing. There was no joy or satisfaction. Morale was low. There was an obvious chill in the air. Souls were not truly being won. Instead of growing, the church began to decline. The question was raised by an outsider, "Have you worked as diligently to sharpen your own relationship with Christ as you have being busy with other things?" "Have you taken the time to drink from His precious word and imbibe the ‘mind’ and ‘spirit’ of His Life?" "Have you given as much attention to treating others with the compassion of a Savior, learned in the quiet meditations of your own heart?

"No," came the reply, "we’ve been too busy working."

– Kerry Knight –

I Peter 5:6-11 says: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

I Peter 2:2 states: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." (I Peter 3:8,9)

-- January 2000 --