These are stories meant to illustrate, teach and communicate important moral, ethical and spiritual lessons. These stories help to simplify complex life situations, thereby imparting the wisdom, concepts and lessons conveyed by the stories.
Busy
Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter ask for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The paid was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.
His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.
The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees
"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"
Very motivated for the boss words, the woodcutter try harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees.Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.
"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.
"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.
"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."
The Lesson
Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to sharpen the "axe" (to stir up our spirit in God's presence). In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy that ever.
There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect to stay sharp, alert, fervent, keeping in step with the Spirit. We should spend quality time in the presence of our Creator praying and meditating on His Word for wisdom, renewal of strength and quickening in His presence.
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,"- Jude 1:20
If we don't take time to sharpen the "axe" (the spirit of God within us), we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. So start from today, seek the wisdom of God about the ways by which you could do your job more effectively, add value to lives around you and lead a fruitful, profitable, successful, productive and blessed life.
"If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success."- Ecclesiastes 10:10
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