Sometimes I feel like God’s paper clip.\u00a0\u00a0 Not because I hold things together, but for another reason.\u00a0 Perhaps it’s because of that need we all have to be needed.\u00a0 A need for significance.\u00a0 Let me explain.<\/p>\n
Every profession has it’s tools.\u00a0\u00a0 Carpenters use hammer, saw, level,\u00a0measuring tape, nails, etc.\u00a0\u00a0 Some tools are essential; used every day; especially cared for and protected;\u00a0 greatly appreciated\u00a0because they provide such great usefulness.\u00a0\u00a0 Other tools, nails for example, are literally a dime a dozen, or less.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Good for one purpose.\u00a0 Used once.\u00a0 Easily replaced or substituted.\u00a0\u00a0 Needed, but not special.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Well, I work in the computer industry.\u00a0 The tools of my trade are things like computers and software, cables, screwdrivers, keyboards,\u00a0cable testers and . . . paper clips.\u00a0\u00a0 When the cable modem or DSL router won’t work or the CD gets stuck in the CD reader, you need a paper clip.\u00a0\u00a0Grab a paper clip from the nearest desk, bend it straight, push the little recessed “reset” button with it, then toss it aside.\u00a0 There’s plenty\u00a0more paper clips where that one came from.\u00a0 A useful tool no doubt, but not very extraordinary.<\/p>\n
If this is starting to sound like a poor-little-me pity party perhaps that’s because it probably is.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But in the process of writing about poor little me, perhaps I can remind myself (and\u00a0maybe even a few others) that being God’s bendable,\u00a0useable paper clip is not all that bad.\u00a0 The screwdriver and the computer may get used a lot more, but there are times when only a paper clip will do the job.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You never know when God will reach down, give me a quick bend, and use me to set something right.\u00a0 I\u00a0trust he doesn’t toss me aside when he’s through either.\u00a0 He has a whole toolbox full of bent paper clips like me.\u00a0\u00a0 If you asked him why he keeps them I believe he would say, “Those aren’t paper clips!\u00a0 Those are special tools.\u00a0 I keep\u00a0them all.\u00a0 You never know when I might need them again.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Anyway,\u00a0I would rather be one of a thousand paper clips in the bottom of God’s tool box than the most prized tool in the devil’s workshop, wouldn’t you?\u00a0 Stay bendable,\u00a0be ready for God’s hand, and keep looking for that next\u00a0reset button.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?\u00a0\u00a0 – Romans 9:21<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sometimes I feel like God’s paper clip.\u00a0\u00a0 Not because I hold things together, but for another reason.\u00a0 Perhaps it’s because of that need we all have to be needed.\u00a0 A need for significance.\u00a0 Let me explain. Every profession has it’s tools.\u00a0\u00a0 Carpenters use hammer, saw, level,\u00a0measuring tape, nails, etc.\u00a0\u00a0 Some tools are essential; used every […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[80],"class_list":["post-473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-consider","tag-usefulness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=473"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475,"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473\/revisions\/475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markspruill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}