An area group went to a remote part of Jamaica not so long ago to help construct an addition to a school.
When the job was complete and the team was getting ready to leave, they decided rather than pack all the tools they had brought along, to give them to the local people that had worked at their side. They spread the hammers, saws, tape measurers, squares and various other tools out on a table and gave the local lead carpenter the first pick of them. After considering which tool he needed most he quietly turned to one of the American volunteers and asked if, instead, he could have a Bible. Even though his income could have been helped by choosing a quality hand tool, he understood the value of the Bible as a tool to improve his life. The Bible really is a tool for life. Its like a trouble-light to help us see the path God has called us to follow. Its like a sharp saw that cuts through the lies of the devil and helps us find the truth. The Bible is like a hammer that drives home lessons of Gods love and mercy and fastens us securely in his arms. Its like a measuring tape that helps us keep our distance from the wrong and close to what is right. Yes, the Jamaican man chose wisely when he took the Bible over all the other tools on the table. It not only helps us build our lives, it shows the blueprint of Gods plan for eternal life. It is hard to build a life of eternal significance without it.
