My Thoughts

He Likes Me A Lot!

Romans 5:8
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Why, would God even like me? Why would He like you? It’s mind boggling.
I have been a mechanic for many years. I have tools that are older than some of the people reading this. The other day I was looking for my air nozzle so I could blow something off with my air compressor, but I couldn’t find it. And it bothered me; just like any tool that I might temporary misplace. I have good tools, but there is nothing fancy about them. Many of them are scratched, marred, nicked, and just are not pretty anymore. But I like my tools.
Also like many mechanics, I would sometimes modify a tool for a special use. For an example once I cut notches in a pair of locking pliers with a cutting torch so I could do a certain job easier. I used that modified tool a lot over the years when I had my shop. I have several tools now that I have cut or ground or bent to do a job easier. I keep all these tools. I like my tools.
One day I was working on my wife’s car, when I found I needed a very special puller to remove a timing belt sprocket from the engine. The only place I could buy one was through Chrysler; and they wanted a lot of money for it. To make it worse it was on back order so I would have to wait six weeks. So I made a pattern, drill some holes in a place of metal and welded a nut on it, at just the right place. When I was done I had the tool I needed for almost no cost. Because I simply use a torch to cut off the metal I needed, and never ground down the rough spots or painted it or anything; it was a very ugly looking tool. But it worked beautifully. I kept that tool also.
Here is an odd fact about mechanics. We know our tools. When I was in the Army National Guard many years ago, the mechanics were issued tools to use. We were responsible for these tools. Several times there would be three of us working on a vehicle of some kind and our tools would get all mixed up together. When the job was done, we would sort out our tools. All of these tools were Government Issue so they were all the same make and model. Yet I would not get Leroy’s ½ inch wrench, and I would not get Jim’s ½ inch wrench. I would get my own. We could tell them apart either by a certain scratch, or a burnt mark, or whatever. We could also tell which tool belongs to whom. We knew them.
As much as I like my tools; I would never die for one. Jesus however willingly died for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
We are nicked, scratched and scarred with sin. God still loves us. Some of us may have had our lives changed by injury or sickness. God still loves us. Some of us were born with very unattractive features. God still loves us. He knows each and every one of us. Jesus loves us much more than any mechanic would ever like his tools. People are worth much more than tools, and there are some pretty cool tools out there.