Fulfilling our purpose.

How does one spruce up a bland concrete block wall in the garage? I would love to hear how you paint, accessorize, or decorate that one wall in your garage that just says, “Blah.” I’m toying with an idea. Tell me what you think about it.

I recently was gifted a 155 piece tool set from one of our sons. It has sockets in metric and standard sizes and two different sizes of drives. There is a 3/8 inch and ¼ inch ratchet and breaker bar. Many extensions and torx bits are included. There are even two different sized spark plug sockets!!!!! The set is so nice, pretty, and shiny.

Here’s my idea. I will use some sort of adhesive to attach these tools to that gray bland wall and in some way make that problem area pop with pizzazz. Thoughts? I can tell you are liking the idea. Your lack of words lead me to believe you are absolutely stunned with my creativity. Go ahead, you can say it. Use your words. My idea to use these tools to enhance my garage is brilliant and it is perfectly fine for you to say it!

With tongue fully planted in my cheek, the above scenario is pure nonsense. Even you wouldn’t use new perfectly good tools to decorate a garage wall. These nice, pretty, shiny tools were forged to tear apart, fix, and rebuild things. The designers, manufacturers, and salespeople never put all that thought into tools to have them hang on a garage wall for decoration.

At some point, I will crack that tool box open and get those pretty clean tools dirty. I’ll knock an oil plug out or remove a spark plug. Maybe I will replace a serpentine belt or put new brake pads on the car. In so many ways, the tools will fulfill their purpose. Did I mention the entire set of deep well sockets in that case??

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a person who looks at their face in a mirror and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like. But the person who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." (James 1:22-25, NIV)

On a parallel path, I see many folks attend small groups and Bible studies gaining knowledge and tools for their spiritual toolbox, then never use those tools. Likewise, I implore you to gain knowledge about God and God’s ways. I encourage you to employ those learnings into tearing apart social injustice, bringing spiritual healing to hurting persons, and rebuilding our community (world) with the love of God.

I know many of you have a host of tools gained over a lifetime of learning. It’s time to get ‘em’ dirty. It’s time to get to work to fulfill God’s command to “make disciples for Jesus” and therefore utilize our learning to bring hope and healing to God’s Kingdom. Stop gathering tools to use for decorative purposes. The tools were never meant for that and you look silly doing it.