THE MASTER CARPENTAR
The Carpenter at Nazareth just entered His shop. He had with him plans for making a pulpit to preach His word. He laid the plans out on the workbench, gathered His tools, and began the job. Then he left to get some more materials, and while he was gone, the tools began to argue. They had decided to hold a business meeting, and someone named Mr. Hammer as chairman. But another tool objected, saying that he should not be the moderator, because he was too hard nosed and was always knocking something. Instead they decided on Mrs. Handsaw. But before she could take the floor, others objected too. She was very cutting and whined too much if pushed the wrong way. Mr. crowbar was also nominated but the complaint came that he was too destructive and was always tearing something apart. Mr. plane offered to be chairman. However some said that though it seemed he did a good job, it was too superficial and had no depth to it. And Mrs. Tape Measure was not accepted either because she complained, if all didn’t measure up. And so they continued until the door opened again and the Carpenter of Galilee entered the shop. He used the tape measure to mark the boards he brought, sawed them with the handsaw, smoothed them with the plane, and used the hammer to nail them together. He continued using about all the tools in his shop. When he finished, there stood a beautiful pulpit. He left and the shop was silent. No tool said a word. They finally realized that the Master had need of each and every one of them to get His job done.
A BASEBALL TEAM
A baseball team went out to play an important game. As they took the field, the pitcher glanced around at the players, and was discouraged to see so few in their places.
The first baseman had gone to see another game across town.
The left fielder stayed home with a toothache.
The shortstop was visiting an aunt and couldn’t make it to the game.
The center fielder got there in the 3rd inning.
The third baseman was in his place but forgot his glove.
Although discouraged, the pitcher did his best, but his team was soundly defeated. When the other members of the team heard about the defeat, they had a team meeting and decided to get another pitcher.
THE PASTOR'S LETTER
The minister of a small country church was new and inexperienced, so when he had a problem in his church, he wrote a letter to an older and wiser pastor in the city to seek his advice. On one occasion a problem arose in his church, and so he again wrote to his minister friend and asked what he should do. The older minister received the letter and answered it with some wise advice. However, it so happened that the same morning he also wrote a letter to the caretaker of his farm, and by mistake he switched the letters.
When the young pastor received and read the letter that had been written to the farm manager, he was confused. What was his friend trying to say? He read it several times and then concluded that it was written in the form of a parable. He found three major pieces of advice.
1. Keep the weeds cut down.
Yes, he thought, that would refer to the sins and bad habits that spring up in the congregation. I must keep them in check.
2. Mend the fences.
He thought for awhile. The fences keep unwanted things out. I need to keep up the fences so the world with all its attractions does not come in and contaminate the church.
3. Watch out for the old black bull.
Must be Satan himself that I need to keep my eye out for, since he comes in to destroy the flock.
This is good advice for any church or person.