Christmas Toolbox

Let’s say, next Christmas morning, there is beautiful toolbox under the tree with your name on it. Now, I know some of you might not want a toolbox, but let’s assume this one is so nice that it would make even the least handy person excited.

Some of us may surmise that we deserve this wonderful gift because of how good we’ve been this year.  We might start making plans for all the projects we could do with this toolbox. Build this, fix that… We proceed to imagine the admiring applause when other’s notice all that we’ve accomplished.

 

God gifts us with tools that are meant to be used for His purposes.  Our health, wealth, intelligence, opportunities, friends, family, education, possessions, beauty, power, faith…all are granted by God. We are not given these blessings because we did something to deserve it. These are not meant to be used for our own building projects, which may lead to self-promotion and public admiration. When we are given tools, we must wait for the blueprint of God’s plans.

 

“The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” (2 Cor. 10:3-6 MSG)