The Old Piece of Furniture

An article that was published in my Column in my local Paper, Baxley News Banner.

www.baxleynewsbanner.com

The Old Piece of Furniture

Inside of a warehouse sits an old piece of furniture that is all worn and not wanted by anyone.  The bottom edges show the signs of wear and age.  It has been dragged and pushed, slammed and crushed.  A time or two the bottom edge has even been wet.  The screws that are holding this old piece of furniture together are beginning to rust and pieces are falling off.  The face of the once fine wood is scarred with deep nicks and scratches.  The complexion is so complicated that what color it once was is anyone’s guess.  So, there it sits this old piece of furniture all tattered and worn, one can’t help but to wonder if it will ever find another home.

            Most would say that it is fit for nothing but firewood.  “Chop it up,” they would say, “and toss it into the fire.  That old thing will never be worth anything again, just throw it out.”  If these were to have their way and to have their say about it, that is exactly the fate that this old piece of furniture would find.

            Then a carpenter comes along and stands before this old relic and studies the corners closely.  He runs his hand along the top and the side, steps back and puts his hand on his chin while contemplating what stands before him.  Then he says without any more hesitation and no more thought, “I can restore this old piece of furniture.  Let me buy it from you so I can fix all that has been broken on this beautiful piece.”

            The owner of the warehouse stands in shock and stares at the carpenter in awe.  He thinks, “What can this man possibly see in this dilapidated pile of firewood?”  The owner smiles, and almost laughs as the price is paid for this old piece of furniture, but truly, he is glad to be rid of it.

            With a skilled hand and a loving touch the carpenter goes to work on this artifact.  He takes and fixes the pieces that are broken and replaces the screws that are rusted, causing other pieces to hang freely.  With much care he begins to sand away the scratches and scuffs that marred the surface of the antique until it is completely smooth to the touch.  He steps back and looks for a moment before he picks the perfect color of stain to match the wood, and then he applies the clear coat and buffs it to a honed shine.  After a time of much labor and wonderful talent, that old piece of furniture is completely restored and better than it was when it was new.  Now this old piece of furniture that once sat in a damp warehouse waiting to be destroyed has now found a new life within the carpenter’s home.

            Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions … I go there to prepare a place for you.”  Heaven is His home and He is the Son of God in Heaven, while his earthly father was Joseph, the carpenter.  Before His ministry began, Jesus learned the skill and care of a master carpenter.  As that he built furniture and homes for many in his day.  Now he builds us a home.  We who are worthy of nothing but the fire are not to be destroyed like we deserve.  He with a skilled hand and a loving touch shapes us and makes us something worthy of being placed in His home.  But before any of this could be done, we had to bought with a price.  “For the wages of sin is death…”  He paid the price for each of us, so now we must let him come and restore us to something beautiful and worthy of finding a home in the carpenters house.  If we do not accept what He gives, then we will never be restored and will remain nothing but firewood.