Upright and Straight
“You shall make upright frames…”
“Bring me another board!” A carpenter told his helper, as he threw away the wooden plank.
“Why did you throw that one on the floor?” Asked the bewildered assistant.
“It’s no good. Don’t you see all the knots and curves that it has?” Replied the irate boss. “From now on, only bring me straight boards!”
Jesus was a carpenter too. He knows when a piece of wood is good and when a board is useless. Jesus also knows when a Christian is living an upright or “straight” life and when our path is crooked.
God’s will is that his children are as useful as straight wooden boards. Does this mean that we have to be perfect? In no way! If that were the case, none of us would ever be used by God. Yet He requires that we lead a holy life and that we walk in the straight and narrow way.
We were once twisted and stained by sin, but Jesus straightened our life and now we can be useful agents of God’s kingdom on earth. If Jesus was able to feed over 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread, how much more can He do through us today!
One day, when we reach heaven, we shall be perfect. We will be free forever from the presence of sin and our bodies will be immortal and gloriously perfect.
Until that day arrives, we must be upright in all our ways. In other words our lives must be consecrated to the Lord; our minds must be saturated with his Word; and our will must be at His service forevermore!
