Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Greetings, nice people.
It’s been raining—but it has stopped for now. Good. I don’t have a canopy on my truck at present and need to go pick up some sign materials—and drop off sawmill blades at Wood-Mizer for resharpening. It would be nice if I didn’t get my tools in the back of the truck all wet with rain. Before I run off, I hope I can set Thano up to do some sawmill work. I don’t think he works at Safeway today.
I’m inclined to believe that maintaining sharp blades is to sawing success what daily processing God’s Word is to living success. A dull faith simply makes living more difficult. At least I’ve proven that’s how it plays out for me. What say you?
Have a great day doing the right thing.
Love, Dad/Ray.
Let me raise this question: Why would anyone reject Paul’s Gospel message? He spoke from a great knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures. He spoke clearly with sound logic and intelligence. He spoke eloquently and skillfully. He spoke with conviction, passion, and the testimony of a transformed life. He spoke with a genuine motive of love and care for others. And he spoke with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It seems like he had all the positive features one could ask for as a communicator of divine TRUTH. But still many rejected. Why? I think the basic answer is wrapped up in the quotation Paul uses from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10). They had bad calluses of heart and mind.
There is a place, however, for good calluses. Calloused hands are good when it results from good hard work. It causes the hands to be toughened against blisters and abrasions. Calloused feet can be good too. (I’ve had occasion to envy tough feet over the years as when walking across coral reefs with my local island spearfishing companions—watching them crash right over the stuff barefoot, while I get scratched up even wearing my protective sandals). Calloused feet can go places and do things I can’t without shoes. Even a calloused heart is good if it serves as a toughened resistance to sin, deception, and evil. But a calloused heart against the good things of God is absolutely bad. Many, if not most, of the Jews were of calloused hearts in their rejection of even the possibility that Jesus was their promised Messiah. So what else is new? Calloused hearts that caused many to reject Christ back then still prevent many from receiving Christ today.
You’ve heard the quip, “You can’t mold dry clay.” So let’s make sure we remain soft and moldable in the hands of the Master Potter—moistened by the water of His Word. Let us not become dry, resistant, or calloused to His dealings. And be reminded that it was essentially calloused hearts that caused Moses to be maligned, Joseph to be jeered, David to be denounced, Stephen to be stoned, Paul to be persecuted, and Christ to be crucified.