Devotional thought for today

August 2

For we are laborers together with God. (1 Cor. 3:9.)

One morning long before the Carpenter was to appear in His shop, the Carpenter's tools decided that they needed to have a conference to settle some of the problems which were steadily arising in their work.

The first tool called to take the chair was Brother Hammer. The meeting informed him that he was to leave because he was too noisy with his work. "But", he said, "if I am to leave this carpenter shop, Brother Gimlet must go too; he is so insignificant that he makes very little impression."

Little Brother Gimlet rose to his feet and said, "All right, but Brother Screw must go also; you have to turn him around and around again and again to get him anywhere."

Brother Screw then said, "If you wish, I will go, but Brother Plane must leave as well; all his work is on the surface; there is no depth to it!"

To this, Brother Plane replied, "Well, Brother Rule will have to withdraw, if I do, for he is always measuring other folks as though he were the only one who is right!"

Brother Rule then complained against
Brother Sandpaper, and said, "I just don't care, he is rougher than he ought to be, and he is always rubbing people the wrong way!"

In the midst of this discussion, the Carpenter of Nazareth walked in - earlier than they expected. He had come to perform His day's work. He first put on His apron and then went over to the bench to make a pulpit.

He employed the screw, the gimlet, the sandpaper, the saw, the hammer, the plane, and all the other tools.

After the day's work was over and the pulpit was finished, Brother Saw arose and said, "Brethren, I perceive that all of us are laborers together with God!"

Do there happen to be any people within your circle of acquaintances who do not perform their duties just the way you think they should?

Perhaps it would be well to think twice before making any criticism or finding any fault with any one of God's instruments of service who is furthering His kingdom here on earth.

If a selfish judgment were made against one of
God's necessary tools and that tool was removed from his work, who would be the one causing God's work to be delayed?

Streams in the Desert, Vol 2, Mrs. Chas. E. Cowman, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1966