The Carpenters Shop

The bench was well-situated. Anything the carpenter did could be seen from it. Yet I shifted restlessly around while I watched. It all seemed so slow to me. One shaving at a time, he patiently worked the wood, seemingly unaware of my fidgeting.

"I think I've got it, " I said at last, "Thanks for the lesson. I can probably do it now."

"There are still many things I could show you, why don't you stay a while longer?"

"Thanks, I think I can do it. I've got the important stuff down."

"You've got the main concepts, but its the little things I haven't shown you yet that make the trade. Stay a little while more." He patiently went back to shaving.

 I sighed. I could do it, I knew I could. After all, wasn't he the best carpenter around? I'd watched for a long time. All you do it move the plane back and forth along the board.

The carpenter straightened up. "Why don't you work here with me?" he invited.

"I want to go somewhere else," I replied, "There is more to do out there and I'll get more experience. Besides,   everyone says theres a lot of need for carpenters in surrounding areas."

"There is a lot of work here, " he reminded, "And we can do it together. I'll show you some areas that you can work on to improve."

"But...."

"You can be useful here. There are people all around you and more come in every day."

"It seems more exciting to go further away. People  think about you differently when they know you are out on your own."

"I don't. It doesn't matter to me whether you are working here with me or if you go far away. Its work that needs to be done, child. Don't wait to use your talents till the situation seems perfect. Using them now will gain you experience and at the same time help those who need it."

"....in the humblest duties and lowliest positions of life, we may walk and work 

with Jesus..... You are not to wait for great occasions or to expect

extraordinary abilities before you go to work for God. You need not have

a thought of what the world will think of you. If your daily

life is a testimony of the purity and sincerity of your faith, and others are

convinced that you desire to benefit them, your efforts will not be 

wholly lost."

~ Steps to Christ pgs. 82 & 83