MANY RECALL THE STORY of the carpenter who was awarded a carpentry job that he had wanted all his life, the building of a dream house for a princess. The story unfolds that he was unable to complete his much sought project because when he went to collect his tools, he found all of them had rusted because of disuse and improper maintenance. He was unable to fulfill his lifelong ambition, even though it had been presented to him, because his building tools were useless.

This parable teaches us a spiritual lesson which we will all do well to learn. As workmen for the Lord, we must have the proper tools to work efficiently and we must keep them in good working order.

Every skilled carpenter knows that in order to build he must first have the proper tools, secondly he must know how to use them skillfully and finally they must be kept clean, sharp and well oiled.

Paul instructs us to "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." If we are to be workmen that are not ashamed, then we must have the proper tools, know how to use them, and keep them sharp and ready for use on a moment's notice.

As workmen for the Lord, we are to take the sword of the Spirit which Paul says is the Word of God. We must become adept at the use of this sword. This only comes by study. We are told by the writer to the Hebrews that "the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword." Paul told Titus to "hold fast to the faithful word as he had been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

The workmen of the Lord then have as their tool the word of God which is sharp and by using this tool properly we shall be able to convince the gainsayers of the error of his ways.

There isn't any doubt that there is a lot of work to be done. The average man on the street, although he possesses a Bible, has no idea what God has said. It is incredible that so many can know so little about the most important thing in life. It is clearly the case of the carpenter whose tools were not usable due to neglect. If we neglect the word of God, we also will not be able to skillfully use the sword of the Spirit. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?"

Our tool is the word of God. If we know the Holy Scriptures, if we study to show ourselves approved unto God, if we search the Scriptures, then we will truly be workmen that need not be ashamed. We will be able to turn the sinner from the error of his ways and the word of God will make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.