GOOD LOGS VS GOOD-LOOKING LOGS

You may be thinking: “Say what?” Please read on.

I read recently about a man who visited a logging sight and he saw a man down by the stream the logs floated by on. He had a long pole with a sharp hook and he occasionally would separate one of the logs from the others.

When the visitor asked what he was doing, the logger answered that to the untrained eye the logs may all look the same. But to him, he could tell the difference between the logs that were from protected trees vs those which were exposed to the elements. Those what were exposed to the elements and beaten by the weather had a finer grain and were used for choice work. They were good logs, not just good looking logs.

We might hear someone say, “What doesn’t strengthen you will kill you.” I honesty have trouble trusting someone who hasn’t been toughened by life. Someone once told me that 30 is the magic age for a pastor. When I questioned what he meant, he said something to the effect that “a pastor had very little credibility until he at least hits age 30 because people figure before that age he hasn’t been though enough ‘life’ to earn his chops.” That is not always true, of course, but the sentiment expressed is easy to see. Life toughens us. One would expect a 20 year old to know more about life than a 10 year old; a 30 year old to know more than a 20 year old, etc.

For the Christ-follower, our faith is tested by life. For the Christ-follower, whatever comes our way goes through God’s grid first. His plan and purpose for us will prevail. We may not like it, in fact, we may hate it, but its presence in our lives comes for a reason.  James wrote: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:2-4  from New Living Translation). Simple translation: you will be a good log.

It is much better to be a good log-sturdy and strong and well-seasoned-than just be a good looking one with no staying power and strength.