The Disciple

The Disciple
…be faithful in the little things…

The master carpenter knelt to pray
and asked the Lord to send his way
a young man skilled in the craft
of turning wood fore and aft
and bringing forth from the saw
something of beauty – a thing of awe.

He rose and went about his tasks
trusting to receive what he had asked.
One day before the dawning light,
he heard a knock on his door locked tight.
Who can that be at this early hour?
Who begs for entrance into my bower?

With sleep rimed eyes, he threw the lock
and asked, “Who is at my door and knocks?”
I’m not buying at this time of day.
Tell me quickly what you have to say
so that I might return back to my bed.
and lay down my old, weary head.”

A young man stood there with empty hands
and with a strong voice laid out his plan.
“I’ve come to ask, from my very heart,
could I work for you and learn the art,
the skill that can only come with years
of shaping the wood.” His eyes held tears.

The master carpenter knelt to pray
and sought the Lord in what to say.
He’d asked for a man with the skill
to take over the work, his shoes to fill.
And here was a novice, a man unlearned.
Would it be right, his quest to spurn?

The young man stood with puzzled gaze
as the carpenter rose back to his place
and took his hand and said to him,
“I’ve heard that I’m to ask you in
and give you a chance at my knee
to learn what you can by watching me.”

I’ll give you a place within my shop
where the hard work never seems to stop.
You’ll start with a broom in your hand
and you’ll answer yes to my command
to fetch and bring and lift and clean.
Is this the kind of job you mean?”

The young man paused and began to speak,
“This is the very thing that I seek.
I’ll sweep and I’ll watch and I will learn.
And if perchance I gain skill to earn,
I’ll take my place at the saw
to create my own work of awe.”

Carpenter and novice knelt down to pray
and asked the Lord to bless this day,
to give the Master the skill to teach
and for the novice, the desire to reach
beyond what he could touch or see
on this day – an epiphany.

And so each rose and took his place:
the young man to clean the space
for the master to ply his trade
and show the young man how he made
the things of beauty, works of awe,
giving all the glory to God.

Copyright ©  January 3, 2010  by Karen M. Crump

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