When we are talking to children, we often use little stories, analogies or parables to get some truth relayed to them. Jesus used them all the time as He endeavored to teach great truths to those around Him.
As a child, I didn’t really care much for Sunday School. Usually we had a teacher that was about as boring as watching grass grow. For many of my age, you can relate to what I’m saying here. We didn’t have all the neat things taking place like you see in many children’s Sunday School programs today.
One Sunday however we had a substitute teacher who I remember even to this day. She was what some might say was a natural story teller. I’m not sure I remember her name correctly. It was either Mrs. Tollier or Mrs. Tolly, it’s been a really long time. Regardless, she had an ability or more accurately a gift of being able to get her point across in an entertaining way. The experience was so radically different that what any of us in that Sunday School were used to that it made a permanent impression in my mind. I hope I get the story she told us kids correct here.
“An old legend tells of a noisy carpenter's shop in which the tools of the trade were arguing among themselves. Brother Hammer was told by his fellow tools that he would have to leave because he was too noisy. To which he replied, "If I am to leave this carpenter's shop, Brother Gimlet must go too; he is so insignificant that he makes very little impression."
Little Brother Gimlet arose 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 said, "If you wish, I will go. But Brother Plane must leave also; 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 others as though he were the only one who is right."
Brother Rule then complained against Brother Sandpaper and said, "I just do not care, he is rougher than he ought to be and he is always rubbing people the wrong way."
In the midst of the discussion, the Carpenter of Nazareth walked in. He had come to perform His day's work. He put on His apron, and went to the bench to make a pulpit. He employed the screw, the gimlet, the sandpaper, the saw, the hammer and 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."
Isn’t wonderful how God uses all of us and our unique gifts in the building of His pulpit! No matter what tool you happen to be, God can and wants to use each of us in His building project.
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