Tools Of The Trade

I recently spent some time at a fairly common coffee establishment in town. As I sat down to grab a few minutes to read a book, I found my eyes being drawn to a lady who was drawing. She had her sketch pad in hand, and laid out on the table were her tools of the trade. I would have thought that in order to draw, all a person would need would be a pencil, a sketch pad, and, oh yes, a subject. Well, this does not seem to be the case. This lady had a small plastic case containing many different pens, pencils, and an eraser, and another box containing charcoal and brushes. Lying around her sketch pad were numerous other pencils and charcoal sticks. What got me thinking was that once she is finished her sketching, her work will stand on its own, and the picture will speak of her work. All the tools of the trade will be put away until the next time.

Jesus, as a carpenter, also had tools for His trade, but His trade and the tools for it were secondary to what He was actually called to do on this earth.

1 Timothy 1:15 – Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. (NIV)

We may also have a trade that requires us to have tools. In fact, I cannot think of any role that does not have some tools for the trade. As Christians, we are called to love and minister to the broken-hearted of this world. Our trade is to show the love of Christ to others, to spread the good news, and to show them the One who came before and who will come again. We have a mandate from Jesus to go out and preach the Word. What would be our tools of the trade? How about our Bible, the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, our Christ-like actions, and our love for others?

Romans 5:5b – God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (NIV)

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for what You did on the cross for us. Help us, Lord, to seek You always and to work according to Your will in our lives. Thank You, Lord, that You came as man to share with us the offer of life eternal in Yourself. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.