10 MM Socket
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. - Colossians 3:17
I have at times enjoyed working on cars and trying to see what I can possibly fix on my own to maybe save money. The last car I owned it felt like I was spending all of my time trying to fix things the basic to tackling things that I had no business messing with. There have always been a lot of different tools that I would use but none more than a socket wrench and a 10 mm socket. The thing about tools in general is of course you have to not only have the right one but you have to also make sure that you are using it in the right way.
One problem I used to face a lot is I would make sure that I had all the right tools and know how to use them and that would then become my focus. Since the tools became the thing that I spent the most time focused on, what I thought was wrong sometimes wouldn’t get fixed right away because I wasn’t focused enough on the issue. Ministry, like fixing a car, also has to have all the right tools, being used in the right way to be able to accomplish the purpose, which is making Jesus known. But Just like with my car, if the tools are made the focus we not only miss the opportunity to show off Jesus and the focus can become about our abilities or even us and not who can actually help the ones we are ministering to.
1 Peter 4:7-11 says: But the end of all things is at hand; be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
In this section of scripture we see The Apostle Peter, through the Holy Spirit, reminding believers that the time is short and we have to be about Gods business. Then he reminds us that God is the one who has given us our gifts as tools to be used in opportunities of service for God and His glory, not ours. As verse 11 says with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God would be glorified through Jesus. If we ever make it look like or even allow the focus to be on anything other than Jesus we miss the whole point and make the opportunity fruitless or empty.
You and I are given lots of 10 mm sockets that God intends for us to use to accomplish His plan for His glory alone. Because of this we need to always make sure that we use whatever He gives us in the right way and not lose the focus of making Jesus known in all we do. Remember we can never provide people with what they truly need, which is forgiveness of sins, but we can always use what we have to point them to the only one who can, Jesus. So remember if you are giving someone a glass of water or a house to live in God is the one providing that and we need to make sure that we always put the focus on Him.
If you have never received that forgiveness of your sins I want to ask you why not? Jesus used the cross as the tool to bridge the gap between you and God and took the wrath that was meant for you. Today is the day of salvation don’t waste another moment.
