TODAY IS…

the day to sharpen your skills.

“If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.”  Ecclesiastes 10:10 NIV

Skills that have been highly sharpened can produce magnificent results.

We have all seen examples of fine art, porcelain, ceramics, furniture, jewelry, crystal, cars, homes and much much more that have been produced by craftsmen, artists and artisans who have honed the skills of their trade or craft to perfection.

Just as practice has allowed these talented and dedicated individuals to sharpen their skills to extremely high levels, we too can excel at being mature Christians by employing the same dedication to our faith and by “practicing our craft” daily.

It takes a sharp ax to cut down a big tree, just as it takes highly sharpened faith and understanding of God’s Word to cut through the forces of negativity and evil that surround us and try to impede our quest for eternal joy and peace.

Being a mature Christian requires daily effort.

It is not something we become one day a week. It is not simply a label we wear to make us feel special. It is not something handy to fall back on to excuse bad behavior.

Being a mature Christian is a way of life that makes us happy and helpful, trustworthy and reliable, strong and steady. Putting a sharp edge on the “blade of our faith” helps us to clear a path for others to follow.

The only way to sharpen the “blade of our faith” is by reading God’s Word every day and praying to Him for guidance in applying the many messages His Word contains to our daily lives.

Just as an aspiring artist may look to a master painter for inspiration, instruction and motivation, a maturing Christian must look to God for those same things in order that we can sharpen the skills we need to be more effective in our work for Him.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson