Better Tools

Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

My Grandmother often reminded me and my cousins that “A good workman never blames his tools”. This saying was used to stop complaints and encourage us to be more diligent. After all, if your work is not your best, you should not blame your tools or materials. It took me a long time to see the hidden assumptions and flaws in this statement.

A good workman becomes a good workman by practice and by training. He first learns from someone with more experience, then he perfects his craft by practice. A good workman doesn’t hurry to finish because the quality will suffer. A good workman knows what is the best tool and the best material for the job. A good workman cares for his tools. He keeps them in good condition and protects them from damage. Finally, as the good workman gains skill, he acquires new tools, higher quality tools, and learns to use them skillfully.

So a good workman doesn’t blame his tools. And not just because he works diligently, but because he has the best tools, and he keeps his skill with constant practice. God wants us to be workman also, but our tool is His Word. His instruction to us is to learn it, to gain skill in using it, and to care for our knowledge. As good workmen, we must perfect our practice of the Word by making it a part of our daily lives. As we achieve a level of knowledge or skill, we should aspire to learn more, and become more skillful in a new area of the Word. And God in His part will reveal more of the word and provide us with higher quality tools to accomplish His will.