But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it?
Is the saw greater than the person who saws?
Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it?
Can a wooden cane walk by itself?
–Isaiah 10:15
My father’s basement is full of tools. Some, like the hammer, are very simple and can be used for multiple tasks. Others are quite complex, designed for a highly specialized purpose. One thing is for sure—I’ve never heard any of these tools boast about the work they have done. No hammer has ever bragged about the number of nails it has driven into their mark. No saw has ever boasted of the precision cut it made. The idea, of course, is absurd.
God uses the above analogy to warn Assyria (an ancient nation) of their arrogance. All of their military conquests, He warned, happened only because He had allowed it.
Hopefully none of us have ever been guilty of the Assyrian’s arrogance. Regardless, we can be guilty of taking credit when only God Himself deserves the glory for “our” accomplishments.
Consider your gifts, talents and accomplishments. Do they really belong to you? Who blessed you with your abilities? I think you know the answer.
No matter how simple or exquisite, a tool is worthless in and of itself. In much the same way, we are simply tools in the Master’s hands. We have nothing that God has not given to us. Let’s be careful to give God the glory for all of our accomplishments, no matter how great or small.
