Sharpen the Saw

THE STORY IS TOLD of a competition between two men designed to determine who could cut down the most trees in a single day. The contest began at first light and stretched through morning, afternoon, and into the evening. Every hour, the smaller of the two was seen wandering off into the forest for ten or so minutes at a time. Each time he left his post, his opponent, larger and seemingly more dedicated, smiled to himself, confident that his nonstop effort would win the day. He never stopped cutting, never took a break.

As the sun set and the competition ended, the larger man was astonished to learn that his opponent—despite what appeared to be wasted breaks—had cut down far more trees. “How did you do it when you took so many breaks?” he asked. The winner replied, “Oh, I wasn’t taking a break; I was sharpening my saw.”

The secret to the winner’s success was not found in ceaseless cutting but rather in the regular act of sharpening his saw. Likewise, we do not achieve success by constantly working at breakneck speeds and checking off tasks. Instead, we find real progress by taking time to be still, to be holy—to sharpen our own spiritual saw.

Taking time each day to sharpen our own spiritual saw prepares us for whatever lies ahead. This sacred time allows us to connect with God through scripture, to speak with Him in prayer, and to discover what He would teach us. A dull saw may still cut, but it slows our progress.

I know of a young person who after some years of inattention to the voice of heaven determined to make a change. He began to pray regularly, stopped listening to music that might offend, and became mindful of the words he used. Each evening, he opened the scriptures—not just to read but to understand. At first, the learnings were few and far between. But in a short amount of time, the insights and understandings that came were nothing short of miraculous. By continually sharpening his spiritual saw, his nature was transformed, and he emerged a new person.

We each can find success by regularly sharpening our saw. It does take time away from the cutting, but it is not wasted time; it is holy time. Time that prepares. Time that transforms.