Two fellows were hired to go out in the woods to start cutting down trees with old timber axes, and then stacking up the wood as they chopped it; they both worked very hard cutting up the wood. One of these men happened to be several years older than the other, but still strong and in pretty good shape, both of these men would be paid according to the amount of wood they were able to cut each day, they were both working diligently and this went on for about a week.
The older of the two, about every hour or so would leave for a few minutes and then he would make his way back and without hesitation he would once again start chopping.
Well! The young man looked at the two piles of wood and noticed, his pile was not quite as much as the older mans, even though he had worked diligently, and usually he even kept chopping when the older man left for a break for a few minutes every so often.
This really had the young man concerned, so, he thought he would ask the question, how do you do it? He said, I’m working just as hard, and without being rude, maybe even harder than you, I also notice every little while you leave for a smoke break and then you mossy on back and you’re at it again, but you still have more wood stacked up than I do, how can this be? Would you mind telling me?
The elder man chuckled just a little and sat restfully on a log nearby, he invited the young man to sit down beside him and to take their break together this time.
The elder gentleman said Son, it’s like this, you see, you’ve got it all wrong; I’m a Christian man and have been for many years, God has been very good to me and he’s blessed me with good health, and he has taught me some very valuable lessons down through life, and NO! I don’t smoke! So when I was gone for those few moments on that smoke break that you though I was taking, here’s what I was actually doing.
I guess, about a couple hundred yards down through the woods there, there’s a beautiful rushing creek, in fact, if you listen real close, you can hear the water rushing even as we speak, the young man spoke up, Yeah! “I can hear it now” and right next to that creek is a massive rock, when I would take off every little while, it was then that I would take that ole ax and sharpen it on that rock, you see, you can cut a lot more wood with a sharp ax than you can with a dull one, not to mention, it sure was a good time for me to steal away and talk to my Master for a few minutes.
About that that time, a great big ole smile came across that young man’s face, he said, the next time you go, can I go with you? The elder gentle just looked at the young man and smiled, and said, “Son, I’d be delighted!”.
Note: Whenever you are witnessing to someone, be sure to have your ax sharp so to speak, be ready, be as prepared as possible, give God a good representation.
- 2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Praying with YOU in mind,
This was a story that I heard several years ago, written in my own words, the way I like to tell it.
Evangelist: Frank Mc Gee ~
