awls....

Recently, I had to make a trip to Lowe’s to pick up a tool that I needed for an illustration I was working on. The problem is that I am a woman. And a woman in Lowe’s is lost. I had NO CLUE where to look for this tool. Apparently, that was obvious for one of the employees approached and said that it looked like I was confused and asked if he could help me. This is where the fun began.
I said, “yes, you can. I am looking for an awl.” He laughed, smiled and said, “well, mam, this store is full of crap, you can’t have it all.” (don’t take offense…it is what HE said.) I smiled and said that I didn’t want everything in store. I want an Awl and asked if he knew where they were located. He quickly began to walk me over to where some tools were located and show me where one kind of awl was. I looked at it for a minute and said “is this the only one you have?”
Well, that sparked a conversation between the two of us. He wanted to know what I needed the awl for. I told him I needed it for an illustration. He asked me if I was an artist and began to walk me to where some different awls were. I squatted down to look at the tools and looked up at him and said, “no, I am not an artist. Actually, I am a Bible teacher.” His eyes got real big and he asked why I needed an Awl to teach the Bible.
I had been waiting for him to ask and so I quickly began to explain that I was going to teach on what it meant to be a bondslave and asked him if he knew what that meant. He said no. Over the next few minutes I began to describe how in the days of Christ that a bondslave was a slave that had been freed, but understood that life enslaved to his master was better than life free. So the slave would willingly choose to enslave himself to the master, giving up his freedom because he knew that life was better enslaved. I shared with the man that when a slave made that choice, that they were marked with a sign, so that everyone would know the choice the slave had made-to freely enslave himself to his master. The mark that they would make was that they would take the slaves earlobe and put it against a doorpost and drive the awl through it, piercing the ear and marking the slave.
The guy was apparently intrigued, because then he asked if I was going to do that to someone. I laughed and said that would be a quick way to shrink a church, so no. But that I was going to talk about how the Lord marks those who are His, those who choose to enslave themselves because they know that Life following the Lord is better than life doing as you please. I shared with Him that I was a bondslave, enslaved to the Lord because life with Him is just better.
The man had been listening and was somewhat embarrassed for his earlier comment. He said, “that’s cool. By the way, I am sorry for saying crap earlier. I didn’t mean to offend you.” I responded by saying he didn’t offend me. He began talking about church people and I stopped him dead in his tracks and said, “I am sure you have met lots of people who would be offended and perhaps even say something to you about it. But sir, I am not really interested in talking about a religion with you, but instead that you would realize that there is more. Not a religion but a relationship with Jesus where you fall in love and He changes you. Not because of rules, but because you want to please Him.” We were walking to the check out by this time and he just stopped right in the middle of the aisle and said, “no religion, just a relationship. I think I might like and can agree with that.” I just smiled and said, “loving Jesus changes you, because being His slave is better than free.”
He told me to have a nice day and I smiled and walked away.
There are so many people who are turned off to our religious ways. And yet, there are so many who are hungry for people who are different because of a relationship with Him. I guess the question today, is which one are you? Have you become His bondslave? Are you tied up in religious activities and rules, missing Jesus along the way and turning people off to Him as well? Maybe it is time we put our ear to the door and become His slave AND begin to let go of our religion and engage in a relationship with Jesus that changes you and others begin to want.
ALL FOR YOU