When I was a kid, I would ride my bike down to the creek and walk bare-footed through the waters to find rocks. Sometimes I collected them. Sometimes, I broke them open to see what was inside. Sometimes I painted them and gave them as gifts to my mom.
A rock is neither good nor bad. A rock is neutral…that is, until it gets put into someone’s hands. It’s never about the rock. It’s about the hands of the person the rock got into.
Think about that: A rock in bad hands killed Abel. Rocks in the hands of the Pharisees almost stoned a woman caught in adultery to death. Rocks in the hands of the Pharisees also stoned Stephen to death.
Yet a rock in good hands killed Goliath. A rock in good hands drove a spike through Sisera’s head.
It’s not about the rock.
It’s about the hands that hold it.
What has God placed in your hands? A spouse, children, friendships, a ministry, talents, abilities, and purpose? How are your hands handling them? Are your hands good?
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus called revelation a rock to build the Church upon? (Matthew 16:18) Jesus was also called the Rock and the Chief Cornerstone of the Church. (Ephesians 2:19-22)
What happens when the Church is put in the wrong hands? What happens when revelation is taken into hands that will twist it, misuse it, or pridefully flaunt it as if they had something to do with it? What happens when Jesus is used by bad hands that portray Him as something He is not?
How well are you holding the Rock?
I bless you to use what God has given you, including Jesus, for good, for healing, for help, for the glory of God, and for love. Let’s take whatever the Holy Spirit reveals to us and use it as the Lord directs. Let’s steward what He gives us well.
And let’s be careful to watch what people do with what is in their hands.
“Give us clean hands. Give us pure hearts. Let us not lift our souls to another. God, let us be a generation that seeks Your face.” (Song by Chris Tomlin from Psalm 24:3-6) Help us, Lord, to be a generation that uses what you’ve given us for Your glory alone.
“Not to us but to Your name be the glory.” (Psalm 115:1)