I recently bought a remote-controlled truck for my three-year-old grandson. It was second-hand, but the woman assured me that it worked. So, we took it home, put batteries in it and, voila, the motor ignited. Hooray! However, our enthusiasm was short-lived, because when the wheels hit the floor, it stopped.
As I’ve mentioned before, I love to fix things, especially toys! So, Grandma took it home, tore it apart, and found the problem. Only a small problem—in fact, it was smaller than 1/16th of an inch; however, that tiny broken-off piece of plastic was necessary to hold the rod which held the gear that rested between the wheel gear and the motor gear.
So small, yet so vital. It made me wonder what little chink in my armor is causing me to malfunction! What tiny sin, if we can classify sin into sizes (and we do!), is shutting down the connection from my Savior to my heart? The problem was not with the motor. If it had been, that would have been out of my range of fixing-skills!
There is nothing wrong with our “power source.” As born-again believers, we are charged with all the power we need to live holy, righteous lives—to “walk worthy” of the life God has called each of us to live. (Ephesians 4:1) So, are we living successful Christian lives or is something broken?
It was just a little piece of plastic, certainly not the most valuable part of the car. And why did it break? That little prong worked with its counterpart to hold the gear in place. It probably received more stress and pressure than any other part of the car. (So why wasn’t it made out of metal! Because they don’t want these things to last forever!)
Where are you receiving the most pressure? That is the place where you need reinforcement! When we are heading into a situation where we know it will be difficult to act and react in a way that will glorify our Savior, reinforce yourself with the Word of God and prayer! And…
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16
The shield is the only moveable part of our armor. Thankfully, we can wield into position and aim it towards the incoming fiery darts. Satan also knows where the chinks are in our armor and he’s a dead-shot! He knows our weak spots and bombards them with his fiery darts, but…
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Oh, what a Friend we have in Jesus! Even though we are frail—so easily broken, Jesus is our strength and shield! AND, He can fix ANYTHING!! Unlike a toy manufacturer who is trying to produce the most sellable, profitable toy, our Father created us with every flaw in place, exactly where He wants them to be, for HIS glory! Wow! What a thought! Our flaws can bring glory to God when we lay them at Jesus’ feet and allow Him to use them for His glory!
The truck is once again on my desk, waiting for the glue to dry. I’m not sure why I’m fixing it because I already bought a brand-new red remote-control car for nearly the same price! (Thank you, Wal-Mart!) I think I just need to fix things! And therein lies yet another lesson: fix what YOU can, but then give the rest to God!
Beyond Common Sense 