January 11. Everyone Might Use Two Tool Boxes

I grew up in a house built in the early 1900's. It was a unique childhood where I grew up with walls being knocked out through the remodeling process. It was very educational, and it took tools. As a leader, what tools are you using this year?

We have natural resources of strength, energy, and knowledge. We used them in the rebuilding and remodeling process. But we used tools to leverage them so that the home became something that was better than before.

We were improved in the process and so was the house that those tools worked on. Maybe the team you lead and the value you deliver could benefit by using some tools or different resources this year.

Leading a life with a mindset that there is a bigger future in front of us can often be a catalyst for growth. New tools can often accomplish exponential growth. Imagine using a rock and a wood plug to connect two pieces of lumber. Is it possible?

I believe this type of connecting occurred in ages past but imagine the first impact of an iron nail being used to connect. Then imagine an iron hammer being used on the nail instead of a rock. Today there are air hammers of many sizes and nail guns for connecting.

I know that there are some tried and true tools that we rely on. I also know that my shop has tools that are hanging on the peg board or in my toolbox that will probably never be used again because they are obsolete.

Maybe we should clean out the old toolbox and ask our team what new tools they would use if they had them. Perhaps we can even look to our peers for ideas of tools they are using. What is the first thing that you can do in the next seven days to leverage some tools, your toolbox or both?

In Genesis 22, we read about the story of Abraham and Isaac going out to a sacrifice because of Abraham's obedience to God's call. That was an amazing act of obedience. But in that act, Abraham took along at least two thing s besides himself and Isaac.

They were a stack of wood (natural resources) and a knife (a tool). In our faith journey, we can often make a greater connection with the people of the world if we can remember to have some resources and tools along with us.

Maybe the resource is a 2-gallon gas container to fill someone’s tank who has run out of gas. Maybe the resource is a positive attitude or the smile that we might be wearing.

My Bible, my Bible app, the mobile phone, a computer, a notebook, a study guide, a devotional, a challenging book, a pen, or piece of paper are all tools in our modern world. Would God be alright with you using the tools in your toolbox to help someone who is hurting?

What limit would God put on your tools if they would help you bring someone to Christ? But being thoughtful is important because tools can be destructive, and harm things. Have we been using any tools in our faith to harm others intentionally or not?

As we make progress in our faith our toolbox needs an occasional inventory done to consider what is being used, what is obsolete, and what might we consider new to help us love and grow. What is the first thing that you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, you have created us so marvelously. Our minds and creativeness are unrestricted in your design, but we create barriers to how we put them into action. Help us today to recognize the tools that we have available.

Put us into action with those tools. Take our resources and combine them with the tools that we have so that they might be used with leverage to show others our love. Inspire us to use them to share the life of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,