"Be the Man!" Week 12

“A tool’s got to work where the work’s being done!” This was my Dad’s proclamation when I questioned him about drawing a line the length of a sheet of plywood using his Parker ballpoint pen. He had just a few minutes’ time between the office and dinner to work on the trailer he was building. Rolling up his sleeves and taking off his tie, he then grabbed for the only marking tool he could find; his pen. From one perspective this would seem an unwise deployment of this particular implement. Technically, it was designed for use on paper, in the office, not for the dusty environment of the garage and the rigors of carpentry. However, from another angle, because the need was urgent, and nothing else was available, the pen could serve the purpose. Surprisingly, it worked, and the scene was repeated many times! This calls to mind how often I have questioned the Father’s deployment of me in a similar situation.  Lord, why don’t you wait until you have a better tool? Can’t you send someone with more wisdom, training or time? What am I doing here when I feel so outgunned and overwhelmed by the challenge? Why don’t we wait until we are ready, all the proper tools are gathered, and all the conditions are right before we tackle this problem. But, time after time He seems to be saying: “You are here, and I need you now: work where the work’s being done. And, surprisingly, under that pressing urgency, a capacity and endurance is discovered that I never knew existed. He can use His tools wherever, and whenever, they are needed! The question is: am I willing to be deployed according to His purposes, not just my preconceptions?
Roger