Old Tools vs.New Tools

My sons love to collect old tools.  Not any particular type of tool...just old...something that has been used by a true craftsman, a proven and trusted instrument to get the job done right! They have been blessed to have come from a long line of woodworkers and carpenters on both sides of the family tree, so they come by this interest honestly.  It would do their ancestors proud to see that their progeny have shown such a keen interest in the things that they also loved. 

By contrast, these sons enjoy brand new tools as well.  They find it difficult to walk away from the lure of the brand new shiny modern tools, built with the latest technology and materials, having all the newest features to make the job easier. 

Great-Grandaddy Martin's old wooden tool caddy, with
various old tools from his collection, along with additional old
tools from Grandpa Mursch's toolbox. Quite a treasure-trove!

The thing I have noticed about the newer tools is the fact that they seldom last very long.  I wonder if they are built with the same strength of steel as their predecessors, or with the quality of materials in the handles and knobs and joints.  Unless one spends a large amount of money for the well-known name brand of tools, it seems as though it isn't very long before that tool breaks and needs to be replaced.  It doesn't have the endurance of the old tools...it hasn't passed the test of time and strength.  Quite often it appears that these new tools just can't hold up under the stress and strain of the job for which it was created to complete. 

I was thinking about the difference between old tools and new tools today...but in a different way.  If you ever have watched a true master craftsman, you will notice that even though he may try some new tools to see how they work, he will most likely always go back to the good old tools he knows and trusts in his toolbox.  He loves the way they feel in his hands, the handles are worn smooth by years of use and they fit his grip perfectly.  The old hammer seems to be an extension of his hand as he hammers away at the nails like a well-oiled machine.  He knows exactly which level is true and exact, and has a favorite screwdriver or set of pliers that always turn the screws and nuts and bolts without twisting and stripping them.  He loves his old tools, and is reluctant to set them aside for the new. They are like his old friends, tried and true.

I wonder if God looks at His "old tools" that way...you know, His old servants and trusted workers who have stood the test of time and never gave up under the stress and strain of the task set before them. The ones who didn't have all the "new-fangled" methods and technology to make their job easier, like laptops and blackberries and the world literally at their fingertips via the internet, but they had to do things the hard way.  They literally had to "Go into all the world" and seek the lost souls who would never hear about a loving God any other way.  They only had one book in their back-pack...God's Word, the Bible, well worn and smooth by years of turning pages and searching for the exact word of truth to share with someone dying without hope. Pages that were dog-eared and marked with lines and notes written in the margin to help reinforce the power of the message to his own heart.  The only amount of memory in their "hard-drive" was what was placed there by years of study and practice.  There were no instant answers by "asking jeeves" or "Google".  The answers that were sought came through prayer and faith and trust...and waiting on God to respond...sometimes for years, but always on time. 

Yes, we love our new "tools", our computers, cell-phones, modern appliances that make our lives easier.  But there is one "old tool" we should never give up...God's Word, The Bible. Whatever shape or version or size you may prefer, just use it...don't put it on the shelf and forget it in favor of your new-fangled "tools"...keep it handy...take it with you wherever you go...memorize its contents...and you will always have all the tools you need to get through life in the best possible way. 

"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."             Psalm 119:11