it's broke

Have you ever needed a flat head screwdriver but used a butter knife instead? What about needing an accurate measurement so you lay out your arm - measuring from your fingertips and make an indention with your fingernail on your forearm where it ends? Then there are the many, many uses of duct tape… let us count the ways it has saved the day.

I am not a handy man by any stretch of the imagination. One of the things that frustrates me when I am forced to do a “do it yourself” job is that I never seem to have the right tools. The 10 minute project always seems to take me at least 4 days. It only gets done when I call someone to help. Guess what they do? They bring the right tools. It always blows my mind when they waltz in and get it done without any problem. I have come to realize it is all about the tools…

We have tools that make our lives easier too. Of course I believe the Bible is an amazing guide on how we should live our lives. There are principals in there that, if applied, life is so much more fulfilling. It is very clear but sometimes it is hard to accept because it goes against our natural desires or instincts. Being nice to someone that is mean, not returning insult for insult, not passing on that juicy nugget of gossip and of course who wants to treat others like you want to be treated when they are treating you like crap.

Sometimes we get off track. We need some people around us to let us know in a very loving way that we are not using the tools we have. I think one of the greatest tools we have is community. A group of people who love you enough to remind you to use the tools you have available. Sometimes we think the tools are broke when we just aren’t using them properly.

My point: don’t complain that the tools don’t work if you are not using them right. Find tools that work and use them. Appreciate the people in your life that love you enough to help keep your tools sharp. Maybe the tools aren’t broke – you just refuse to use them.

It is wise to learn from your past and it is stupid to repeat it.