Sharpening the Saw - Values, Part 5

Bill and George went into the forest to cut firewood. They felled a tall pine tree and began sawing it into useable fireplace logs. Bill worked non-stop all day, trying to get as many logs as he could before sundown. At several times during the day, he glanced across the clearing and saw George sitting down taking a break. As twilight approached, he finally gathered his tools and walked over to where George was stacking his logs. Much to his surprise, George's stack was considerably larger than his. He couldn't believe it! How had George been able to get so much work done with all those breaks he took? His curiosity had to be satisfied, so he just asked George how he did it. "Simple," George said. "Every time I sat down to take a break, I sharpend my saw." You've probably heard that little parable before. But it is worth repeating. We Baptists tend to have a good work ethic. And because of that, we sometimes think if we just work a little harder or a little longer we will get the results we are looking for. How about working smarter instead of harder ... or working better instead of longer? The 5th value stated on the Mission Wall of the HBA Mission Center reads:

Ministry Training: Facilitating opportunities for Christ-followers to grow in specific knowledge and skills necessary for effective ministry.

Sometimes we have enough basic knowledge and skills to do certain things. Sometimes we just need the opportunity to step back from the work and sharpen our saws. That may mean a one-day workshop. It may mean a conversation with a coach. It may mean spending a part of a day with a mentor. It may mean a multi-day training conference. Many possibilities exist. The association cannot provide every kind of training possible, but we can facilitate opportunities by providing some within our own area ... identifying some that are provided by other associations, conventions, and organizations ... assisting ministry leaders in obtaining training ... the possibilities are many. The bottom line is that we want to assist one another in sharpening our saws for maximum kingdom effectiveness.