“If the ax is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.”
(Ecclesiastes 10:10 BSB)
When I was a much younger man, I spent six months as a lumberjack cutting down and hauling trees, mostly ending up as firewood. While cutting up firewood, A sharp chainsaw and axe were far superior to dull ones. It would take seconds to cut through a log with a sharp blade versus much longer as it dulled. When the chainsaw chain and axe blade were sharp, the tools did most of the work. However, when it is dull, you have to put a lot of weight and strength into the saw to move it through the wood.
So it is with life. If you don’t sharpen your blade at the end of every day, ready for the next day, you waste a lot of time and energy. Wisdom dictates that you sharpen your tools on a regular basis. Since wisdom dictates that, neglecting to do so is foolish. We need to sharpen our minds every day, adding to wisdom, insight, and skill. Don’t simply go blindly through the day without increasing in those areas — that is like the foolish servant who buried his master’s money in the ground — there was no increase, there was no reward, but only fear.
We must invest in what God has given us daily. Everything we do daily depends on sharpening our skills for the work of the day. To lead ourselves and others well we must be searching Scriptures and the wisdom of others to train us how to be good leaders. Without learning how to lead well, we limit our ability to accomplish faithfully what God has entrusted to us. We do not love and serve our wives faithfully, train our children wisely, or help the people entrusted to us grow. We are limited by our understanding, wisdom, and insight. We have a “lid“ on our ability. Therefore, set your priorities in order, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, sharpen your skills and tools daily. Grow in knowledge and wisdom and insight.
Walk with the King today! I love you!
End Note
The “lid” referenced in this article comes from John C. Maxwell’s Law of the Lid, presented in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. The principle teaches that a person’s leadership ability helps determine the level of effectiveness they can sustain. As leaders grow in character, knowledge, wisdom, and skill, they raise their capacity to serve others and steward greater responsibility. Growth does not make us the owners of what we have been given. It prepares us to become more faithful stewards of what belongs to God.