It is not too late to set goals for the year 2016, and is not too late to wish you all a happy new year full of God’s blessings and favor. I wish to share with you an inspirational story I read.
The story is told of two men who were chopping pieces of wood. The first man labored hard and steadily all day long. The second man also worked hard but every so often would stop and take a break. While on his breaks he would call out to the first man and say “Come and have a rest, I want to show you something that will help you.” But the first man would say “Not now I’m busy. I don’t want to lose any time.” By the end of the day the second man had chopped far more wood than the first man. This was a surprise to the first man because he was sure he had worked harder than the second man. So he asked “How did you do it? I mean how did you cut more wood than me?” And the second man replied “Well every time I stopped to take a break, I sharpened my axe!”
A simple story, but a good illustration of how such a small act can have such a significant impact. Sharpening the axe can be the difference between hard work and diligence, efficiency and effectiveness. This is also a good representation for our lives.
The axe represents the tools we have to produce results in our lives. And the sharpening of the axe represents how effective we are in using such tools.
“If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but wisdom will bring success.” -Ecclesiastes 10:10
This means an axe needs to be sharpened, so that it cuts easily. Cutting with a blunt axe, or knife takes more energy, than if it were sharpened. Wisdom however, helps us find better ways of doing things in everyday life. It also helps in our spiritual life.
Wisdom teaches us how to conduct matters for a successful conclusion; for example, it prompts a person to sharpen his tool instead of trying to accomplish his task by an exertion of only physical strength. Wisdom empowers a man to meet and overcome the difficulties which affect his whole life.
I challenge all of us to take time to sharpen our axe as we embark on what we have set for the year 2016
Magdaline ‘11