Using a dull axe requires strength, so sharpen the blade.
That is the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.
Ecclesiastes 10:10
Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber
merchant and he got it. The pay was really good and so was the work
condition. For those reasons, the
woodcutter was determined to do his best.
His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he supposed to
work.
The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.
“Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!”
Very motivated by the boss words, the woodcutter tried harder the next
day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even
harder, but he could only 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…”
Reflection:
Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don’t take
time to sharpen the “axe”. In today’s world, it seems that everyone is
busier than ever, but less happy that ever.
Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay “sharp”?
There’s nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get
so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our
personal life, taking time to get close to our Creator, giving more time
for our family, taking time to read etc.
We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If
we don’t take the time to sharpen the “axe”, we will become dull and
lose our effectiveness.
.....................
This story was shared by E. Teboselu on a group on Facebook
Scriptural quotation added by Victor Negro
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