The Hammer Story

By Wayne Koch (Pop Pop)
Dedicated to my grandson

Here is a story that I told my grandson when trying to get him to go to sleep. It began as a much simpler version, but over time it grew — and now reflects my own life and how God has shown Himself to me.

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The Story

Once upon a time there was a hammer. Now, this hammer was a very special hammer. Its Creator gave it a brain. It could choose what project to work on and who would use it to build the project. There was just one problem: it often bent nails.

At first, Hammer chose easy projects — step stools, tables, birdhouses, and treehouses. When it came to treehouses, he chose only the simplest ones or only wanted to do the ladder. As for who would use him, he would choose just anyone.

Over time, he saw some of his projects turn out pretty good, some just so-so, and others really bad. When he bent a nail, the person using him would usually just bend the nail the rest of the way over to the surface of the wood. Some tried to straighten the nail before driving it in, but it often bent again. They would get mad and hammer it flat.

Hammer felt bad that he bent nails all the time, but he couldn’t help it. And the people he chose were all kinds. Some were mean to him. They would say things like, “You silly hammer. How did you ever become a hammer in the first place? You are always bending nails!” Some even told others to say “No” if Hammer wanted them for a project.

There was one guy known as Old Scratch who was always trying to get Hammer to choose him. Old Scratch seemed okay, and Hammer ended up choosing him a lot. The projects appeared to turn out pretty good — at least on the surface. Hammer didn’t notice that underneath, they were worse than all the rest.

There were a few who were kind to Hammer. A couple of them told him about the Creator’s Son — how He always built beautiful and very strong things. They just knew the Son could help Hammer.

One day, Hammer decided to go to the Creator and ask if His Son could help him with his problem of bending nails. The Creator said, “Yes, I know about your problem bending nails, and my Son will be more than happy to help you. He has been waiting all these years for you to come. But you will have to give up your ways, your desires, and your projects, and allow Him to use you for His.”

Hammer was startled. How did the Creator know he bent nails?

After some thought, Hammer believed the Creator’s Son could help him. So he went to the Son and said, “I believe that you can help me. You see, I have a tendency to bend nails. Will you please use me for your projects?” The Son replied, “I have been waiting for you to come. I know about your problem, and I will help you.”

Again, Hammer was shocked that the Son knew all about his problem — but he was happy the Son wanted to use him.

Time after time, Hammer saw that the Son’s projects always turned out beautiful and strong. At first he was happy to be chosen, but then he noticed something: he was still bending nails. He thought the Son would fix him so that he wouldn’t bend nails anymore.

Hammer grew sad. When the Son came to start the next project, Hammer refused. The Son was grieved but allowed him to choose. Again and again, the Son returned for each new project, but Hammer always refused.

Hammer drifted back to his old ways — choosing his own projects and letting anyone use him. Old Scratch was sneaky and often talked Hammer into picking him. Hammer didn’t understand why Old Scratch wanted to be chosen so badly.

Eventually, Hammer saw the truth. When Old Scratch was involved, the projects only looked good. Underneath, they were weak, ugly, and full of bent nails. Even the slightest storm could blow them down. And Hammer discovered that Old Scratch was going to the Creator and saying terrible things about him.

Hammer was depressed. He remembered how beautiful the Son’s projects were. He was miserable. “Why did I ever leave Him?” he thought. “He was always patient with me. I loved being used in His projects. Maybe if I go back and ask forgiveness, He will take me back.” But he couldn’t think of a single reason the Son would want him again.

Finally, Hammer decided to try.

While he was still on his way, the Son saw him and ran to greet him. He was overjoyed that Hammer had returned. Before Hammer could say a word, the Son was already talking about His next project and how He wanted Hammer for it.

Hammer was overwhelmed with gratitude. The Son made him feel special.

As always, the Son’s projects turned out beautiful and strong. Hammer never saw any bent nails, even though he still bent them. He began paying attention to how the Son worked. When Hammer bent a nail, the Son would say it was okay. He would patiently straighten it with Hammer’s claw and drive it true. Sometimes the nail bent again. The Son never got angry. He would say something funny, and they would laugh together. Then He would calmly pull out the bent nail and replace it with a new one.

Hammer was extremely happy being used in the Son’s projects. When he thought about leaving before, he couldn’t understand why he ever did. And he noticed something else: he was bending fewer and fewer nails. It felt as though the Son was becoming part of him.

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The Meaning

This story is a lot like us and Jesus, God’s Son.

Jesus has many projects, and when we ask Him to use us, we begin to see His beautiful work. His projects are people. He helps them see how much His Father loves and cares for them.

The more we allow Him to use us, the more we see how much the Father loves and cares for us. We experience joy and peace beyond our understanding — in a way we’ve never known before.

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Psalm 8:3–9

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?

Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Kingdom Responsibility in the Face of Power

The Citizen’s Mandate: Kingdom Responsibility in the Face of Power

When leadership turns toward control or harm, people naturally feel like victims of a “taking” energy. But citizens of the Kingdom of God are not passive observers of history. Our responsibility is not limited to the next election cycle; it is to actively give life wherever earthly power is being used to take it.

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1. The Stewardship of Truth

In cultures shaped by fear or control, truth is often the first casualty. Kingdom citizens must remain anchored in reality rather than rhetoric.

The Action:
Refuse to participate in propaganda, manipulation, or the “Way of the Flesh” that distorts perception and enslaves the mind.

The Scripture:
Paul urges us to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Truth is a giving energy—it liberates. Lies are a taking energy—they bind and diminish.

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2. Protecting the “Least of These”

When leaders use power to harm, they create a vacuum of care. Kingdom citizens are called to step into that void.

The Action:
Direct your energy toward those the system is crushing. Through local Christian community or simple acts of compassion, become the safety net that corrupt leadership has torn apart.

The Scripture:
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.” (Isaiah 1:17)

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3. Modeling a Different Kingdom

We cannot fight a controlling spirit by adopting its methods. If we resist domination by trying to dominate, we have already lost the spiritual battle.

The Action:
Practice the Way of the Spirit in your own spheres of influence. Out-bless. Out-serve. Out-honor. Let your life demonstrate a Kingdom that does not take, but gives.

The Scripture:
“Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder.” (James 3:16). We counter disorder with the peace of Christ.

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Conclusion: The Power of Presence

Just as the early Church flourished under the shadow of a hostile empire, we are called to embody a unity the world cannot ignore. When we take responsibility for our own spiritual energy—our presence, our truthfulness, our compassion—we become a light no abusive leader can extinguish.

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A Historical Mirror

Consider Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who recognized that his responsibility was not merely to pray for better leadership but to become a “spoke in the wheel” of injustice. He chose to give his life so others would not have theirs taken. His witness reminds us that Kingdom citizenship is active, courageous, and deeply rooted in love.

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A Contemporary Reflection: Transforming Quakerism

For a modern example of faithful resistance, QuakerSpeak’s video “Transformizing Quakerism in Troubling Times” offers a powerful look at how spiritual communities can respond when the world around them becomes unstable. It highlights how Friends seek to renew their tradition through deeper listening, communal discernment, and courageous truth‑telling.

Watch here:
Transforming Quakerism in Troubling Times – QuakerSpeak

This resource pairs beautifully with your theme: when earthly power takes, Kingdom people give—through presence, truth, and Spirit‑led action.

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Is God's Protection Absolute?

✦ Unity Series ✦
Exploring covenant ethics, prophetic vision, and the call to unity in faith and practice.

Is God's Protection Absolute?

A Unity Series reflection on Psalm 91, covenant faithfulness, and the mystery of suffering

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📖 Scripture Focus

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'"
Psalm 91:1–2 (ESV)

"In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33 (ESV)

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🌤 Opening Reflection

Psalm 91 is one of the most beloved passages in all of Scripture. It speaks of refuge, shelter, wings, and fortress. It promises that "no harm will overtake you" and that God will command His angels concerning you. For centuries, believers have turned to this psalm in times of danger, illness, and fear.

But if we are honest, we also know that faithful people suffer. Job was blameless and upright — yet he lost everything. Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, and imprisoned. The prophets were persecuted. Jesus Himself — the sinless Son of God — was crucified.

So we must ask the question carefully and reverently:
Is God's protection absolute?

The answer, I believe, is both yes and not in the way we often expect.

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🔍 Insight or Revelation

1. The Four Names of God in Psalm 91

The psalm opens by naming God four ways in just two verses:

• Most High (Elyon) — supremely sovereign over all
• Almighty (Shaddai) — all-powerful, sufficient
• LORD (Yahweh) — the covenant name, personal and relational
• My God (Elohim) — Creator of all things

This is not a small god offering limited shelter. This is the God above all gods — sovereign, covenantal, personal, and all-powerful — offering Himself as refuge. The psalm is not about a place of safety. It is about a Person.

2. The Condition: "He Who Dwells"

Notice the opening word: "He who dwells." The Hebrew word is yashab — to sit down, to remain, to abide. This is not a casual visit. It describes a life oriented toward God, a heart that has made its permanent home in His presence.

Psalm 91 is not a blanket guarantee for anyone who recites it. It is a covenant promise for those who dwell — who trust, abide, and remain in relationship with the living God.

Even Satan understood this. In the wilderness temptation, he quoted Psalm 91:11–12 to Jesus, urging Him to throw Himself from the temple (Matthew 4:6–7). Jesus refused — not because the psalm was untrue, but because twisting God's promise into a demand is not dwelling. It is testing.

Protection flows from relationship, not from formula.

3. Job: The Righteous Who Suffered

God Himself testified about Job:

"Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him — a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil."
Job 1:8 (ESV)

Yet Job lost his children, his wealth, and his health. Was God's protection absent? No — God set the boundary Satan could not cross (Job 1:12; Job 2:6). Even in the worst of it, Job was never outside God's sovereign care. And in the end, God restored him — not because Job earned it, but because the covenant relationship held.

Job's story teaches us that God's protection does not always mean prevention. Sometimes it means preservation through the fire.

4. Paul: Sustained, Not Spared

The apostle Paul catalogued his sufferings openly:

"Five times I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea."
2 Corinthians 11:24–25 (ESV)

Yet Paul also wrote:

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."
2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV)

Paul was not spared suffering. But he was sustained through it. God's protection kept Paul's faith, his mission, and his soul — even when his body bore the scars.

5. The Deeper Protection: Nothing Can Separate

Perhaps the fullest answer comes from Paul's letter to Rome:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38–39 (ESV)

God's ultimate protection is not the absence of danger.
It is the impossibility of separation.

No trial, no suffering, no enemy, no power in all creation can pull us from His hand. Jesus Himself said:

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand."
John 10:28 (ESV)

This is the covenant promise. This is the shelter of the Most High. Not a guarantee that the storm won't come — but a guarantee that He will be in the storm with us, and that the storm cannot have the final word.

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🕊 Practical Takeaway

• When you feel unprotected, ask: Am I looking for a shield from circumstance, or am I dwelling in God's presence?
• Reread Psalm 91 slowly — notice that every promise flows from relationship, not ritual.
• Remember Job: faithfulness is not measured by the absence of suffering, but by trust that holds through it.
• Let Romans 8:38–39 anchor you: nothing — nothing — can separate you from God's love.
• Pray today: "Lord, I choose to dwell in You — not to escape trouble, but to find You in the midst of it."

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🙏 Prayer

Father, I come to You honestly. I want Your protection — but I confess that sometimes I want safety more than I want You. Teach me to dwell in Your presence, not to avoid trouble, but to know You in the midst of it. You are Elyon — Most High. You are Shaddai — Almighty. You are Yahweh — my covenant God. You are Elohim — my Creator. I trust that nothing can separate me from Your love. Hold me, sustain me, and keep me — now and forever. In Yeshua's name, Amen.

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🔗 Related Posts

Known From the Beginning — Explores how the Father's all‑knowing nature grounds His covenant love and keeping power.

Becoming One: The Flow of Giving Energy — Reflects on giving versus taking energy, and how love binds everything in unity.

The Kingdom of God — Living under

Questions for Jewish Rabbis

Questions About the Messiah

As a Christian who loves the Hebrew Scriptures, I’ve always been fascinated by the Jewish understanding of the Messiah. Judaism teaches that the Messiah will be a human male, a direct descendant of King David, who will accomplish great acts of restoration and establish a kingdom of peace. This kingdom is described in Scripture as everlasting.

That raises an honest question for me: If the Messiah’s kingdom is everlasting, how is that understood within Judaism? Does the Messiah himself live forever, or is the “everlasting” nature of the kingdom understood in a different way?

From a Christian perspective, the eternal nature of the Messiah’s reign is one of the reasons we believe Yeshua is the promised Messiah — His resurrection and eternal life align with the idea of an everlasting King. But I want to understand how Judaism interprets these same passages.

Another question that often comes to mind is about the Torah itself. Rabbis study the commandments with extraordinary dedication. But when you step back and look at the Torah as a whole, what is its central purpose? Christians often see the Torah pointing toward the Messiah, but Judaism has its own rich and ancient understanding of the Torah’s role in shaping a holy people.

These questions aren’t meant to challenge but to learn. The Jewish and Christian traditions share the same Scriptures, yet interpret them differently. Exploring those differences with humility and respect helps deepen understanding — and perhaps even appreciation — for the faith that gave birth to Christianity itself.

Unity Series

Exploring covenant ethics, prophetic vision, and the call to unity in faith and practice.

Messiah & Kingdom

Questions About the Messiah
The Kingdom of God

Covenant & Restoration

Created in God's Image
Can Israel Lose the Promised Land?

Calling & Identity

Created in God's Image

View the full Unity Series index →

That Which Defiles

That Which Defiles

Scripture:
Mark 7:1–23; Matthew 15:1–14 (NIV)

As I revisited an old post from September 2023 — The Dogs — I found myself drawn back into the scene of that Gentile woman who crossed paths with Yeshua. At the time, I had learned how many Jews viewed Gentiles as spiritually unclean, even among the lowest in society. That memory led me to reread the full chapters surrounding that encounter, and what I found was striking: Yeshua had just finished rebuking the Pharisees.

In both Mark 7 and Matthew 15, the Pharisees confront Yeshua over ritual handwashing — not because God commanded it, but because it was part of the tradition of the elders. Their concern wasn’t about the heart; it was about appearance, conformity, and control. They had elevated human rules to the level of divine authority.

Yeshua’s response is sharp, but it is also revealing:

“These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.”

He exposes the danger of replacing God’s commands with human traditions — a danger that still reaches into our own lives. The Pharisees weren’t villains in their own eyes. They were middle‑class, respected, devout Jews who believed they were protecting holiness. Yet in their zeal, they had become blind to the very heart of God.

As I imagined those same Pharisees encountering the Gentile woman from my earlier post, something hit me:
How quickly we judge others. How easily we look down on people we think are “less than.”

The Pharisees would have dismissed her without a second thought. And if I’m honest, there are moments when I’ve done the same — moments when I’ve let assumptions, pride, or tradition shape my view of someone instead of compassion.

Yeshua, however, sees differently.
He sees the heart.
He sees faith where others see failure.
He sees worth where others see uncleanliness.

And He calls us to do the same.

Unity Series — Related Reflections

Exploring Scripture through compassion, calling, unity, and the heart of God.

• The Dogs — Faith from the Margins
  A Gentile woman’s bold faith reveals how God sees beyond status, culture, and expectation.
• Becoming One → Is It Possible?
  A reflection on unity as a divine calling, not merely an ideal — rooted in God’s own nature.
• Becoming One: The Flow of Giving Energy
  Exploring how unity grows when we give, serve, and pour into one another with God‑shaped love.
• God Will Be All in All
  A meditation on God’s ultimate purpose — restoring creation until His presence fills everything.
• The Acts Church: A Spirit‑Led Model
  What the early church teaches us about generosity, unity, and Spirit‑driven community.
• Created in God’s Image: Rethinking How We See Women
  A call to honor the dignity, purpose, and divine reflection present in every woman.
• Why We All Need Jesus
  A simple, heartfelt reminder that every one of us depends on the grace and mercy of Christ.

View all Unity Series posts →

Known From The Beginning

Known From the Beginning: Called, Given, and Drawn by the All‑Knowing Father

Father God’s all‑knowing nature is not a distant attribute—it is the foundation of His love. Scripture reveals a breathtaking pattern: the Father knows, the Father calls, the Father gives, the Father draws, and the Father keeps. Nothing about His saving work is random or reactive. It flows from eternal wisdom and eternal love.

The All‑Knowing Father

• Isaiah 46:10 — declaring the end from the beginning
• Psalm 139:1–4, 16 — known before we speak, before we live a single day
• Hebrews 4:13 — nothing hidden from His sight

Given by the Father

• John 6:37 — all the Father gives will come
• John 6:39 — none of those given will be lost
• John 17:6 — “Yours they were, and You gave them to Me”

Called by the Father

• Romans 8:29–30 — foreknown, called, justified, glorified
• 2 Timothy 1:9 — called before time began
• 1 Corinthians 1:9 — called into fellowship with His Son

Drawn by the Father

• John 6:44 — no one comes unless the Father draws
• Jeremiah 31:3 — drawn with everlasting love
• John 12:32 — Jesus drawing all through the cross

Chosen by the Father

• Ephesians 1:4 — chosen before the foundation of the world
• John 15:16 — “I chose you”
• 1 Thessalonians 1:4 — chosen and confirmed by the Spirit

Known by the Father

• John 10:14 — “I know My sheep”
• 2 Timothy 2:19 — the Lord knows those who are His
• Psalm 1:6 — the Lord knows the way of the righteous

Kept by the Father

• John 10:29 — none can snatch from the Father’s hand
• Jude 1:1 — kept for Jesus Christ
• Psalm 121 — the Lord watches over you

Are All Called? And What Happens to Those Who Don’t Respond Now?

Scripture speaks of calling in two layers: a universal call that goes out to all people, and a personal, relational call rooted in the Father’s foreknowledge.

The Universal Call — God’s Invitation to All

• Acts 17:30 — God commands all people everywhere to repent
• Revelation 22:17 — whoever is thirsty may come
• 1 Timothy 2:4 — God desires all people to be saved
• 2 Peter 3:9 — not wishing that any should perish

The Personal Call — Those the Father Gives, Draws, and Knows

• John 6:37 — all the Father gives will come
• John 6:44 — no one comes unless the Father draws
• John 10:14 — “I know My sheep”

Does the Father Personally Call Everyone?

If the Father is all‑knowing, if His desire is for all to be saved, if Jesus draws all through the cross, if the gates of the New Jerusalem never close, and if the nations are healed, then the picture becomes clear:

The Father’s personal call ultimately reaches all people — even if not all respond in this life.

What Happens to Those Who Don’t Respond Now?

• Jeremiah 31:3 — God draws with everlasting love
• Luke 15 — the Shepherd seeks until He finds
• Revelation 21:25 — the gates of the Kingdom never close
• Revelation 22:2 — the nations are healed
• 1 Timothy 4:10 — Christ is the Savior of all

Nothing in Scripture suggests God stops calling, stops drawing, or stops loving.

The Arc of God’s All‑Knowing Love

God knows all. God calls all. God draws all. God desires all. God heals all. God restores all. God loses none.

This is biblical, covenantal restoration flowing from the heart of an all‑knowing Father.

Because the Father is all‑knowing, His calling, giving, drawing, choosing, and keeping are not reactions—they are expressions of eternal love.

About the Unity Series

✦ About the Unity Series

The Unity Series explores God's desire to bring all things together in Christ — healing division, restoring harmony, and revealing the divine oneness at the heart of Scripture. Each reflection invites us into deeper reconciliation, mercy, and spiritual awakening.

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Unity Series: Becoming One in Spirit

Reflections on divine unity, covenant love, and reconciliation across Scripture — exploring how the all‑knowing Father calls, gives, draws, and restores His people.

Known From the Beginning: Called, Given, and Drawn by the All‑Knowing Father
The all‑knowing Father calls, gives, draws, and keeps His people with eternal love and purpose.

"That they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You." — John 17:21

View the full Unity Series index →

Keywords: unity, oneness, reconciliation, Christ, spiritual growth, divine purpose, Scripture reflection

Keywords: unity, oneness, reconciliation, Christ, spiritual growth, divine purpose, Scripture reflection

Becoming One: The Flow of Giving Energy

📖 Scripture Focus

“Above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:14 (ESV)

“The glory that You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one even as We are one.”
John 17:22 (ESV)

🌤 Opening Reflection

Becoming one is not about losing ourselves — it is about discovering who we truly are when God’s love flows freely between us. Scripture calls us into a unity that mirrors the very heart of the Trinity: a shared life, a shared light, a shared energy.

Writers like those in The Celestine Prophecy describe this as the difference between giving energy and taking energy. And while the book is not Scripture, it names something Scripture has always taught: when we give life, we grow; when we take life, we shrink.

🔍 Insight or Revelation

1. Giving Energy: The Way of the Spirit

In The Celestine Prophecy, giving energy means offering presence, encouragement, attention, and love without demanding anything in return.

Scripture says the same thing in a deeper way:

• “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10)
• “Encourage one another and build one another up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

When we give energy — blessing, listening, honoring — we participate in God’s own nature. The Holy Spirit is always a giver, never a taker. And when we give, we do not lose energy; we become vessels God fills again and again.

2. Taking Energy: The Way of the Flesh

Taking energy happens when we try to control, dominate, manipulate, or draw attention to ourselves. It is the opposite of love.

Scripture warns us:

• “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder.” (James 3:16)
• “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit.” (Philippians 2:3)

Taking energy is rooted in fear — fear that we are not enough, fear that we won’t be seen, fear that we must grasp what God freely gives.

3. Becoming One: The Flow of Shared Light

Jesus prayed that we would be one, not by uniformity, but by shared glory — His glory. Unity is not sameness; it is interdependence.

When we give energy, we create connection. When we take energy, we create separation.

Becoming one looks like:

• honoring instead of competing
• listening instead of overpowering
• blessing instead of criticizing
• serving instead of demanding
• seeing others as image‑bearers, not obstacles

This is the Kingdom way. This is how heaven grows on earth.

🕊 Practical Takeaway

• Offer someone your full attention today — no phone, no rush.
• Speak one sentence of blessing to someone who needs encouragement.
• Notice when you feel tempted to “take energy” and pause.
• Ask the Spirit: “How can I give life in this moment?”

🙏 Prayer

Lord, teach me the way of giving energy — the way of love, honor, and blessing. Make me a vessel of Your light. Let Your glory flow through me so that I may help others see You more clearly. Make us one, as You and the Father are one. Amen.

🔗 Related Posts

• Becoming One → Is It Possible? — your earlier reflection on unity and divine oneness; this new post expands that idea through energy and love.

• The Kingdom of God — explores the communal life of believers and the Spirit’s unifying power.

• Becoming Like Little Children to Enter the Kingdom — complements the humility and openness needed for true unity.

• Why We All Need Jesus: Understanding Sin and the Kingdom of God — connects the idea of giving energy to redemption and restoration.

• The Acts Church: A Spirit‑Led Model for Today’s Believers — shows unity in practice, the living example of shared spiritual energy.