Parable of a Screwdriver

I have a number of hand tools that I use for everything from house repairs to car mechanic work. I know how to use them as they were designed to be used (although this doesn’t necessarily mean that I am good at using them!).

The flat-blade screwdriver is one of the most basic of tools. No moving parts. Even the mechanically disinclined person can recognize and use one. One handle, one business end. It’s hard to mess up a screwdriver!

I have a screwdriver that doesn’t look much like a screwdriver anymore. It once was a nice screwdriver and did a fine job of installing and removing screws. No doubt it was used for just that purpose for quite some time, until…

It’s that “until” that that often causes trouble. It’s that until that causes us to think, “Oh no, something bad happened!” Yes, I couldn’t find my chisel so I used my screwdriver instead. It ruined the tip and cracked the handle – it wasn’t a very good chisel and now it isn’t worth anything as a screwdriver!

Most of you don’t care much about this screwdriver, but there is a lesson here to be learned about our lives. Some of us know the godly use of our bodies, minds, and spirits, yet we use them to do thing for which God did now design them. We damage ourselves, even making ourselves unable to do the things for which God did design us! We look at ourselves and see neither a good worldly person nor a good spiritual person.

Lessons:

First, learn to look for and respect the things God has created us to do and warns us not to do. They are always for our good (De 10:13; 1 Pe 3:10). Violating our design will hurt us (Pr 13:15).

Second, there is good news! Through forgiveness in Christ, God can and will re-create us – making us “conformed to the image of His Son” (Ro 8:29). He will re-make us so we can be useful to Him again! (2 Ti 2:20-21). dd