Focus: Sharpen Your Tools! (Pt.2)

Text: 1Sam.13:20

"But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock."

The Philistines, at that time, dominated the entire country. They had under their control political and military powers in the land. 

The Scripture says, "Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears… So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found" (1Sam.13:19,22). The Philistines would not let the Israelites produce or own swords and spears, and if they were found with any, it was confiscated from them. Even for their farming implements, they were dependent on the Philistines. They had to go to their sworn enemies to sharpen their tools. That is like a believer in Christ depending on the people of this world for virtually everything they have need of. We read, "Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads" (v.21). Their foes dictated the economy. The people of God would pay dearly to sharpen their tools at the hands of their enemies.

One lesson to learn is that the people of this world are really not that wise. They don't want us to own certain things, and yet, they are ready to sharpen our tools for us - our axes, knives, forks, and indeed, our deadly objects. We pay them to sharpen our dangerous and deadly tools with which we could have them killed at any time. The wisdom of this world is sheer stupidity.

The world is unknowingly serving us. Isaiah declares, "And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee" (Isa.60:10). In verse 12, he says, "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted" (Isa.60:12). The psalmist lends his own voice, "Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me" (Ps.18:43).

Worldly people may think that they are in charge, but in reality, they are our servants. We use so much of what they produce to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the days of Roman power, the emperor made sure that roads were designed and built, and those roads connected the then known world, and as God would have it, Paul used those roads to travel the world, spreading the gospel, turning the world upside down, and gathering souls into the kingdom of God.

Child of God, in one way or another, your enemy will sharpen your tools - even your skills. Remember Moses, an Israelite raised in the palace of Pharaoh by his own biological mother, who was handsomely paid from the coffers of government to train and raise a boy who would one day withstand Pharaoh, and get Israel liberated from the bondage of Egypt forever.

Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in words and in deeds. Egypt and Pharaoh gave Moses so much, but they simply shaped and sharpened him for God's use. He was a product of the palace, but by the power of God he stood against all that the palace stood for, and said no to slavery, domination, oppression and suppression. Egypt prepared him, but God used him. 

The wisdom of the wise is folly to God. Child of God, it's sharpening time! Your tools need sharpening, and God will make your enemy do it for you.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter