Everyone knows that Jesus’ stepfather, Joseph, was a carpenter and that Matthew calls him “a righteous man,” but we seldom think about the wisdom he handed down to Jesus.

As a carpenter, Jesus surely learned many tricks of the woodworking trade from Joseph. While tools and techniques have changed a great deal over the past 2,000 years, three simple rules that Joseph lived by still hold true today.

Measure Twice, Cut Once.

Wood was scarce in ancient Israel. Joseph couldn’t afford to make mistakes. They learned to proceed with caution. And it’s a wise principle for our lives too.

As Christians, we need to be careful in our behavior. People are watching and judging Christianity by the way we behave.

Thinking ahead always prevents trouble. We should measure our spending against our income and not exceed it. We should measure our physical health and take steps to protect it. And we should always measure our spiritual growth to increase it. Just like the timber in ancient Israel, our resources are limited, so we should do our best to use them wisely.

Use the Right Tool for the Job.

Joseph wouldn’t have tried to pound with a chisel or drill a hole with an ax.

So it is with us. Don't use anger when understanding is called for. Don’t use indifference when encouragement is needed. We can build people up or tear them down depending on which tools we use. Jesus gave people hope. He wasn’t shy in showing love and compassion because He was a master at using the right tools.

Take Care of Your Tools and They Will Take Care of You.

Joseph’s livelihood depended on his tools. As Christians, we all have spiritual gifts that we use as tools in the kingdom of God, and we have a responsibility to take care of them and use them properly. Remember, the Holy Spirit gave us our spiritual gifts as tools and He empowers them through our lives.

We also have the tools of prayer, meditation, fasting, worship, and praise at our disposal. But our most valuable tool is the Bible! If we let its truth sink deep into our minds we will be able to use truth as a powerful tool to confront the lies that confront us!

In the body of Christ, every Christian is a carpenter with a job to do. Like Joseph, we can mend relationships, and we can mentor relationships. We can teach others to pass the faith on to the next generation. The more we learn how to use faith as a tool, the better teachers we become!

God has given all of us the tools and resources we need. Whether we’re at the job or at home, at church or at the store – we are always on the job! So, this week let’s work for God with your head, our hands, and our heart.

God bless you!

Pastor Paul