Fireside Chats: Thoughts From The Desk Of A Geek

Roger’s Pocket Knife 

For Christmas a few years ago, Darlene gifted me one of Roger’s pocket knives with a special note explaining what this knife meant to her, and to Roger. When I think about the boys Grandpa Roger, I think about his pocket knife. It wasn’t shiny. It wasn’t new. The blade was worn down from years of sharpening. The handle had scratches and dents. But Grandpa Roger carried it everywhere. He used it to fix things, cut twine, whittle sticks, open stubborn packages, and sometimes just to tinker while he sat on the porch.That little knife had seen a lot of work and a lot of wear. 

Life can feel like that pocket knife.Disappointments scrape against us. Prayers sometimes seem unanswered. Doors close. Plans unravel. We feel dulled by hurt or chipped by failure. Over time, it’s easy to look at ourselves and think, “I’m not as sharp as I used to be.” But here’s what Grandpa Roger understood. A knife isn’t ruined because it’s worn  it’s proven. Every scratch tells a story. Every mark means it was used for something meaningful.

In the same way, disappointments don’t disqualify us. They shape us.

Grandpa Roger’s knife didn’t stay in a drawer because it had scars. He kept using it. In fact, he trusted it more because it had been tested. God works the same way. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28 that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. All things includes setbacks. It includes heartbreak. It includes the prayers that didn’t turn out the way we hoped. 

Our disappointments are not our disqualifications . It’s part of our development. When Grandpa Roger’s knife grew dull, he didn’t throw it away. He sharpened it. Sometimes disappointment leaves us feeling spiritually dull  less passionate, less hopeful, less trusting. But that’s not the moment to give up. That’s the moment to let God sharpen you.

There is something special about an old, well used pocket knife. It’s not just a tool for cutting twine or whittling wood; it is a testament to a life of work, responsibility, and, often, wisdom passed down from a grandfather or father. When a grandfather passes down his knife, he isn't just giving away a piece of steel; he is passing on a legacy of dependability. 

Lonnie….