By Jeff K. Clarke
Senior Editor and Staff Writer | October 31, 2016
For much of his adult life my father was a carpenter by trade. I never really cared much for carpentry myself, but what always amazed me about my dad was his ability to see the completion of a project long before it even began.
In his minds-eye, my father has the ability to see beyond the construction materials scattered on the ground to the finished product, when all I can ever see is a mess. Maybe it’s his carpenter’s intuition, I’m not sure. Whatever it is, I’ve always admired his ability to see beyond the mess in front of him to what could be.
Another son of a carpenter
I know of another carpenter’s son.
Jesus was the son of a carpenter (or we can even say tradesperson). We don’t know much about his father Joseph, but we do know that he was a carpenter or sculptor by trade.
And, while the Gospel stories are vague when it comes to telling us anything about Jesus’ occupation before his public ministry began, we can be confident in saying that he probably followed in his father’s footsteps.
And, like my own father…
- I wonder if Jesus developed the ability to see the end of a project long before it began?
- I wonder if Jesus could see what materials could become, when others only saw a mess?
- I wonder if Jesus could see a multitude of possibilities before him, when all others could see was an impossible task?
Seeing beyond the mess
I believe Jesus’ ability to see beyond the mess of what is, through to the possibility of what could be, holds true for when he looks at you and me, too.
I believe he has the ability to see the raw and displaced materials of our lives with an incredible sense of wonder, awe, and anticipation of what we can become in his hands.
- When others see only impossibility, Jesus sees possibility.
- When others see only brokenness, Jesus sees completeness.
- When others see only problems, Jesus sees a plan.
- When others see only scattered materials, Jesus sees a completed project.
Jesus views us through the lens of God’s love. He looks through the raw materials of our lives with a plan of love in mind.
He then begins to put us together: moulding, shaping, and forming us into the person he always knew we could be – the best version of ourselves – a person who mirrors his Father; a person deeply loved.
I love the way Pope Francis put it recently,
Again and again we are called to learn from Jesus – who always sees what is most authentic in every person – the image of his Father.
We are God’s workmanship
Paul once wrote these words about those who follow Jesus – “We have been predestined to be conformed to the likeness of God’s son.” (Romans 8:29)
And, in another setting, he wrote, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” (Ephesians 2:10)
When everyone else views us as a broken mess and not worth the effort, Jesus sees us as we really are – image bearers, made in the image of a loving God.
Even though we may see ourselves as unworthy and unwanted, God looks at us as sons and daughters, and waits for us to place the scattered pieces of our lives into his open hands, so he can begin to work in our lives in ways we never dreamed possible.
When we feel lost and disoriented, Jesus has a plan to build us into the person he believes we can be.
When we are broken, Jesus will put the pieces of our lives back together again in a way that only a good carpenter can.
Allow him to do the work that only he can do. Like a good carpenter, he can see the finished project when most others can only see a mess.
And, as you wait, remember to sing the soundtrack of the redeemed – “He’s still working on me – to make me what I ought to be.”
