Here is a story that I told my grandson when trying to get him to go to sleep. It started as a much simpler version when I was telling it to him. It has developed to this and reflects my life and how God has shown Himself to me.
The Hammer Story
By Wayne Koch (Pop Pop)
Dedicated to my grandson
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 to work on, things like step stools, tables, bird houses, and tree houses. When it came to tree houses though, he chose only the simplest ones or would only want to do the ladder up to the tree house. As for who would use him to build the projects, he would choose just anyone.
Over time, he saw some of his projects turn out pretty good, some were just so-so, and others were really bad. When he bent a nail, the person who was using him would usually just bend the nail the rest of the way over and down to the surface of the wood. There were some who would try to straighten the nail before driving it the rest of the way into the wood but so often, the nail would bend again. They would get mad, and just hammer the nail all the way over to the surface of the wood.
Hammer felt bad that he bent nails all the time but he just couldn’t help it. As for the people he chose to use him, there 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 would even tell others that if Hammer wanted them for his projects, say “No.”
There was one guy known as Old Scratch who was always trying to get Hammer to choose him for his projects. Old Scratch seemed to be OK and Hammer ended up choosing him a lot of the time. The projects appeared to turn out pretty good. Hammer didn’t notice though that the projects only looked good on the surface. Under the surface, the projects were worse than all the rest.
There were a few who were nice 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 that the Son would be able to help Hammer.
One day, Hammer decided to go to the Creator to ask him 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.”
Now Hammer was startled by the Creator’s reply. How did He know that he bent nails?
After some thought, Hammer believed that 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, like His Father, said, “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, too, knew all about his problem but he was very happy that the Son wanted to use him for His projects.
Time after time Hammer saw that the Son’s projects always turned out beautiful and strong. He was happy at first that the Son chose him for His projects but, when he looked at himself, he noticed that he was still bending nails. He thought that the Son would fix him so that he wouldn’t bend nails any more.
Hammer was sad and when the Son came to him to start the next project, Hammer refused. The Son was grieved that Hammer would not go with him but allowed him to do as he wished. When the Son was ready to start His next project, He came to Hammer again but, again Hammer refused. Repeatedly the Son would go to Hammer for each new project but Hammer always refused.
The Son could see that Hammer was going back to his old ways. Hammer again was choosing his own projects and just anyone to use him for them. Old Scratch was very sneaky and often talked Hammer into picking him. Hammer didn’t understand why Old Scratch always tried to talk him into choosing him.
Finally Hammer saw that when Old Scratch was involved in his projects that they were, in reality, nothing like they appeared to be. Old Scratch had been hiding Hammer’s bent nails. Even though Old Scratch’s projects appeared to be pretty and strong, they would either get blown down by the slightest of storms or the surface would flake off revealing all of Hammer’s bent nails and a project that was really hideous. He also found out that Old Scratch was going to the Creator and saying really bad things about him.
Hammer was very depressed. He remembered when he was working on the Son’s projects, how they were always so beautiful. He was miserable. He thought, “Why did I ever leave Him? He was always so patient with me and I really enjoyed being used in his projects. Maybe if I go back to the Son and ask for His forgiveness, He will take me back.” Hammer couldn’t think of any reason why the Son would want him back though. After all, it was his choice to leave. But finally Hammer decided to try.
On his way back, even before he got there, the Son saw him coming and ran to greet him. He was so happy that Hammer had returned. Before Hammer could say anything, the Son was already talking about His next project that He wanted to use Hammer for. Hammer was just so thankful that the Son wanted him back. In a way, the Son made him feel special.
As usual, every project of the Son’s turned out just beautiful and was built very strong. Hammer could never see any bent nails even though he was still bending them. He started paying closer attention to how the Son worked. He noticed that when he bent a nail, the Son would tell Hammer it was OK. He would try patiently to straighten the nail with Hammer’s claw and then finish driving the nail true into the wood. There were times though that the nail would bend again. He was never mad or upset when this happened. He would say something funny and both He and Hammer would laugh. Then He would calmly pull out the bent nail and put a new nail in its place. This always worked.
Hammer was extremely happy being used in the Son’s projects. When he thought about leaving the Son before, he just couldn’t understand whatever possessed him to do that. There was something else that Hammer noticed. He was bending fewer and fewer nails. He felt as though the Son somehow was becoming part of him.
This story is a lot like us and Jesus, God’s Son. Jesus has many projects and when we ask Him to use us in His projects, we will begin to see His beautiful work. His projects are with people. He helps them see how much His Father loves and cares for them. The more we allow Him to use us in His projects, the more we too will see how much The Father loves and cares for us. We will experience joy and peace in our lives that is beyond our understanding and, in a way we’ve never experienced before.
I want to end this story with some words from the Bible. They are in Psalms 8 starting with verse 3.
3When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?c
6You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
8the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
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