A Hammering, a Trip to the ER, and a Smile to Prove It

The picture on the left is an anvil about to fall on a running man's head. The picture on the right is an anvil being used to hammer something out.

This man's day is not going to end well. His pursuit of whatever it is he is going after will definitely end. He is kind of like Wile E. Coyote in Looney Tunes, who would often chase the roadrunner before getting an anvil dropped on his head. The anvil could definitely inflict some serious damage in an effort to stop the pursuit.

But the anvil can be useful, too. Blacksmiths use anvils to hammer out steel tools, weapons, and armor--things of great use.

I would say these two pictures represent God's mercy and love.

Sometimes I pursue things that are not pleasing to Him and are detrimental to my well-being, if not fatal. Sometimes He will send something that will stop me in my tracks and give me a chance to turn and follow Him. Then the hammering happens. This is not a pleasant experience, but the end product is something useful, strong, and tested.

Often, the Lord allows trials which stop me from getting what I want and living life my own way. The very trial--like the anvil--He also uses to form me into a person who is useful for His kingdom, strong in His Spirit, and with a faith that is tested and proven. He desires me and other followers of Christ to live this new life, recognizing that the old life was cut off--like the anvil falling--at the cross.

This new life is one of learning discipline, and it can be hard. Just like the piece of metal has to be hammered, and bent, and fired, and hammered, and bent, and fired--you get the picture--so do we have to go through a shaping and strengthening process that we would become more like Christ and carry out the mission He has for us on earth.

James 1:12-18 says, "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures."

There is such a reward for those who endure hard things on earth--the "crown of life." This is one that is lasting, and not one made by me or any other person. If I simply love God, I will receive this lasting reward. In all of my trials, there are many temptations, but I have to realize that it is not God tempting, but He is giving me a chance to turn to Him and away from temptations.

Nor can we tempt Him. I realize looking back on my life that, if God could be tempted, He might have been tempted to let that anvil drop on me and knock me out for good. However, He does not do that because God is love. So those "anvils" falling from the sky are directly from God. Because He wants our faith to be tested and proven, so that we can become His children, He allows trials--which are actually "perfect gifts from above," so that we can experience the good things He has given us in His son Jesus Christ.

So what are "trials," and why should I welcome them?

These trials manifest as disappointments, failures to get my way, and often simply just unexpected occurances.

Yesterday my two-year-old got bitten by a beloved family dog. This was definitely an anvil falling on my head. How did I respond? Was it in a way pleasing to the Lord? I would say He helped me stay calm as a flood of thoughts and emotions went through my mind. These included anger towards the dog; frustration towards my parents-in-law for keeping the dog despite past wake-up-calls; guilt from not paying enough attention to assess a potentially dangerous situation; and panic from trying to get a bleeding, crying toddler quickly and safely to the ER while driving on wet roads during a bad storm.

I am thanking the Lord that it was not worse than it was, and that Sarah is doing fine now. This morning, she even calmly told me what happened, "Rowdy bite my arm yesterday," with a smile on her face.

The Lord is using that "anvil" experience to hammer me out. I am choosing to love and forgive instead of getting angry. This goes against my natural tendency, and it is hard. In the end, I can be thankful for the Lord's protection and the strength of a child. Soon enough, maybe I will be able to smile, too.

A Lesson from Music Theory for the Body of Christ

I am going to give a short music theory lesson:

The Chord on the left is a C-major chord. What that means is that the notes are built on the note “C” and the notes that are used produce a certain quality—which we call “major”—and this produces a pleasing sound.

The one on the right is a different type of chord. You can hear that this chord has a different quality—definitely not pleasing, right? The notes all clash. In music theory, we don’t actually call this a chord. Because of its un-harmonious, if not random, quality, we call it a tone cluster. Even though it is built on the note “C,” the same note as the C-major chord, it is not pleasing because of the notes which are built on top of it.

I would say the C-major chord represents the Christian who has received new life in Christ—built on the foundation of Christ—and is actively building on that life in accordance with God’s will. This is pleasing to God.

The tone cluster represents the Christian who has received new life in Christ—built on the same foundation of Christ—and are actively building their own life, not always considering God’s will. This is not pleasing to God.

Alternatively, try playing the C-major chord on an out-of-tune instrument. The sound produced is definitely not pleasing, either. I have my fingers in the same place as before, and in theory I am playing the same notes. However, it is out of tune, which creates a sound perhaps more unsettling than the in-tune tone cluster.

This represents a person who calls themselves a Christian, and seems to be doing all the right things, but their heart is not right with God—they have not actually received new life in Christ. You might say this is a Christian going through the motions—being religious without a revelation.

In order for my guitar to make a pleasing sound, the instrument has to both be tuned and to be played correctly. This can only be done by somebody who knows how to tune the instrument and also knows all the right notes.

In order for me to be pleasing to the Lord, I have to both accept new life in the Lord—allowing my heart to be “tuned”—and to actively participate in the Lord building my life, one “note” at a time.

What does it mean to be “tuned” by the Lord, and what are the “notes” which are built upon Christ?

Colossians 3:12-17. This is a description of harmonious living. We have been “chosen of God”—and therefore have chosen God—which means we are accepting having our lives put together by God in harmony with the character of Christ. (the note “C”)

* These describe the character of Christ: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving one another. Love is the perfect bond of unity, marked by the peace of God, thankfulness, richness in God’s word. This allows us to act accordingly: Teaching and admonishing one another with singing and spiritual songs. We cannot help but sing God’s praise—both literally and figuratively with our life—which shows others how we as a body should be living.


In order to be pleasing to the Lord as His body, we have to choose to live according to His character, and actively love one another.

So let’s break this down a little further…


Choosing to live according to Jesus’ character (“Put on a heart…”). I have to receive this new heart from the Lord—a tuned instrument—before I can truly love my brothers and sisters. Before us as a body can be fully pleasing to the Lord, we have to all love one another. This is the work of the Lord. How this new heart of love manifests:


--Compassion…Jesus is compassionate

--Kindness…Jesus is kind

--Humility…Jesus is humble

--Gentleness…Jesus is gentle

--Patience…Jesus is patient

--Forgiveness…Jesus is forgiving


One who has not received a new heart of love cannot do any of these things, even if it looks like they are doing religious acts which look good.


One who has received a new heart of love may sometimes do things contrary to love. We all mess up, but we should understand that this is not pleasing to the Lord. These things are like a tone cluster (Colossians 3:5-6, 8) and put us under God’s wrath:

--immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed

--anger

--wrath

--malice

--abusive speech


I would also say opposites of what are pleasing:


--Selfishness

--pride

--impatience

--unforgiveness


These are all character traits of one who is trying to build their own life—even a person who has accepted Christ—and the frustrations thereto. This is why Paul encourages the Christians at Colossae to “put them aside.” They are not pleasing to the Lord—just as displeasing as one who has not accepted Christ. They are not fitting for children of God.


Let us make it our aim to please our heavenly Father, just as Jesus did in all things. We each need to have a heart that is tuned to God’s life, and we all have to live a life accordingly.


If we do this we will be a beautiful, harmonious composition--written and performed by the Master Composer—pleasing to Him in all ways. Perhaps the song of our lives may even draw others into fellowship with us and with our Creator.