A treasure

I was helping Mum clean out a corner of one of Dad’s numerous back yard sheds a while back when I found a treasure.  Dad was supervising – 84 years gives you that right – when I lifted up an old file handle.

“Chuck that old thing”, Dad said instantly.  But I didn’t have the heart to.

Dad used to sharpen a lot of chainsaws during his sawmilling days and if you’ve ever tried it you’d know that the small tang on the end of a round file is hard on your hands.  That’s where a file handle comes in.  Usually a turned piece of timber it can be transferred to a new file when the old one becomes blunt.

This handle had split a couple of times in its life, probably when it was being hammered onto a new file with gusto.  The split pieces had been nailed back on and then several turns of fencing wire added for good luck at some point.

When Dad looked at this particular handle he saw something broken and useless.  But I saw something that had been thoughtfully repaired so it could continue to serve its original purpose.  Granted, it had some scars, but in many ways they just added to its strength.  Sound familiar?

"Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away. But his answer was: My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak. I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me.  I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Good News Translation (GNT)