There are always jobs to be done on the farm. From construction to machine mechanics,
truly “the farmer’s work is never done.” Some of these jobs are unique, unexpected – things you’ve
never done or imagined doing before. I learned a long time ago that on the farm I would have to
figure out how to do a lot of things myself. Calling a “professional” or tradesman was just out of
the question. We either didn’t have the money, or we simply didn’t know who to call! And my dad
was a “do it yourself” master. If there was anyone who could figure out how to repair something,
it was him. So I guess there’s some of that mentality instilled into me too.
Not long ago, I was trying to change the spark plugs in my old farm truck. The truck was
over 30 years old, and still had its original plugs. They were tight, rusted and almost galled into
place. I was making some progress until one of the back plugs twisted off, leaving the threaded
stub still stuck in the hole. To make matters worse, it was the hardest one to reach, at the very back
of the engine, and down under several other components. It was difficult to see without a mirror,
and practically impossible to get a tool on it.
What was I going to do? For a while, I was stumped. The thought of getting rid of my old
truck actually crossed my mind. Could this be the end of the old girl? I knew about bolt extractors,
and had even purchased one or two over the years, but nothing seemed to work. I just did not have
the right tool for the job. I also spoke with a few friends, but couldn’t get anybody very excited
about coming over and standing on their head under the hood of my old truck trying to remove the
plug! Imagine that.
Finally, a farm mechanic friend of mine agreed to take a quick look at it. I remember
limping the truck to his shop nearby. It was a hot day, and the engine itself was hot. I could just
see the dollar signs racking up, when he came out of his shop with a tool I had never seen before.
It was a type of bolt extractor that was short, stubby, and had a specialized thread design. With a
well-placed magnetic LED trouble light, a special lubricant (another lifesaver), and some hands he
didn’t mind getting dirty, he was able to move the stud just a bit, and before I knew it was out. He
had not even put the truck into his shop, this was all done outside, but he had the right tool for the
job!
As followers of God, our Lord knows just exactly what we need in this life. He has provided
the tools and the motivation to get done any job that confronts us. In the words of Mosie Lister’s
popular 1955 hymn:
My Jesus knows when I am lonely, He knows each pain, He sees each tear; He understands
each lonely heartache, He understands because He cares. My Jesus knows just what I need, Oh,
yes, He knows just what I need; He satisfies, and every need supplies, Yes, He knows just what I
need.
It’s comforting to remember that God has met our every need as Christians. His word is
perfect, capable and well-suited to whatever challenges we may face, “that the man of God may
be complete, furnished completely unto every good work,” (2 Tim. 3:17). Like the perfect tool for
that difficult task, his word stands ready to help us when we need it most.
Our Friends Day this year is scheduled for March 17th, now just over one month away.
The theme is, “Just What I Need!” I hope each of us will make it a point to be present, and bring
our friends. People today need to know that the solutions to the problems of life are to be found in
God’s word. Like the perfect tool for that “impossible” task, God supplies to us just what we need!
Things I Learned on the Farm…Just the Right Tool for the Job
