Chaplain’s Corner
Tale of Two Lumberjacks
Let me tell you of the tale of the two lumberjacks…
There once lived two strong lumberjacks, two men whose living it was, to chop down trees for their lumber.
They both lived in small cabins not too far apart from one another.
Every morning, at around 4.00am, the first lumberjack was ready to go into the woods. He sharpened his axe early and started out his day. There was no time to waste.
The second lumberjack woke up at 7.00am and had a big breakfast. Then set off to work.
The first lumberjack worked non-stop all day. He loved the sound of his axe against the wood. He toiled and sweated and finished each day with blisters on his hands, often bleeding. But he always chopped 10 trees a day, which made him feel proud and powerful.
The second lumberjack worked very hard as well, but he stopped once in a while to take some breaks. He would sit down and listen to the birds, rest his arms and eat his lunch. Then he would continue to chop more wood. He went home early – with no blood involved.
One night after a long day of work, the first lumberjack passed by the house of the second lumberjack. He was astonished and devastated to count 15 trees on his friends front yard. Confused and in despair, he called out his friend and asked him, “How can this be? I know you take a rest every hour and I work continuously through the day, there’s no possible way you can chop more wood than me. Tell me your secret.”
The second lumberjack turned to him and said, “You are right old friend, every hour I do take a break to rest. I eat and then I take a moment to sharpen my axe”.
Abraham Lincoln said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
Hebrews 4:12 says, For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
It’s important to remember that every day is a brand-new opportunity to recharge, renew, and refine yourself. So what if you were to devote some key moments every day into sharpening your axe, instead of chopping away with a dull and less-than-optimal tool?
Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world today, credits his great money decisions to his insatiable reading habit; he apparently spends 80% of his time awake, reading. He says that reading “builds up, like compound interest”. He says, “All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it”.
The Bible provides everything we need to know, to grow and to be sharpened. The best versions of ourselves. Yet most in this world won’t give it the time of day.
It helps us to establish wisdom and right thinking to help make right and life-giving decisions and to grow to be wise counsel to others. It helps us see the difference between truly selfless, spiritual deeds, and acts which are actually selfish and ungodly.
The Bible helps bring peace and clarity into our every day and it draws us closer in our relationship with God as it reveals His nature and His character. The Bible highlights the path to salvation while leading us away from sin. It teaches us how to imitate Christ.
Reading its pages brings life. It brings faith, hope, love, good character, courage … plus so much more to its readers.
Reading the Bible. It is a habit for life. It is a habit that will bring life!
God bless,
Pastor Matt Daly
College Chaplain