The Apprentice
The
smithy apprentice was assigned the job of making nails.
He
would heat the coals to white hot, constantly pumping the billows all along,
and then thrust an iron bar into the coals. When the iron was glowing red he
would pull out the rod and hammer the iron into the shape of a nail, usually
four sided, then with the peen hammer he would hammer the tip into needle point
sharpness. As he worked he imagined what his nails would be used for. He thought, “My nails are so perfect they
could hold the finest furniture together, or the timber beams for the frame of
a new home.”
Day
in and day out he worked the fires, the iron, and the hammers making perfect
nails.
Once
he thought for sure his nails would be selected for the new ship being built in
the shipyard, but it was not to be.
The
blacksmith came into the workshop and told the apprentice that he needed some
nails for a special project. The
apprentice was excited and followed the smithy to see where his nails would be
finally used.
It
was a long walk, uphill most of the way, and there were lots of people
around. As he pushed through the crowd
he saw a large timber cross with a man lying on top. A Roman Guard took nails from the smithy and
began to drive the nails into the man’s hands and feet. The apprentice asked who it was and someone
told him it is Jesus of Nazareth.
The
apprentice dropped to his knees and cried out,” My nails were made to build
things up, not tear them down.”
With
each blow of the hammer the nails were drenched in blood. The apprentice wept and wondered how his
nails could have fallen into such misuse.
Just then a heavy hand was placed on his shoulder and he heard, “Do not
despair; your nails have helped to build something that will live forever.” When he turned to look, there was no one
there
Shared by Jim Macris, member of St. Timothy’s, North Greenbush, NY
(where Pastor Jen grew up)
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