Borrowed from Amy at
http://www.sunshine-sentiments.com/2012/07/tape-or-sand-paper.html
Tape or sand paper?
This summer I have been reading a fascinating book. One I heartily recommend. It’s called Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer. Anyway, while reading this book I came across the story of how 3M became the successful bastion of innovation it is today. It all started with sandpaper. As in, the company made it. And a salesman who, while out on sales calls observing the needs of their customers, developed an interest in making tape. Because, as it turns out, their customers might have needed tape more. Long story short, that salesman of sandpaper, a man named Dick Drew, ended up creating masking tape and scotch tape. Sending 3M in a decidedly different direction.
Here’s where my attention was arrested. By one sentence on page 28: “Adhesives, it turned out, were much more profitable than abrasives.”
Now, really think about that sentence. Adhesives and abrasives. Tape and sandpaper. I couldn’t get it out of my head. The whole concept resonated deeply with me. It made me start asking myself, “Am I an adhesive or an abrasive? Would I be described as more like tape or sandpaper?”
I should probably blame my hyper-focus on this line of thought on the notecard I posted on my kitchen window. The one right above my sink where I spend a great deal of my time. The notecard with this quote written on it:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29-32NIV)
I’ve been reading this particular verse for many months. Every time I stand at my kitchen sink. Now I think that this whole time I’ve been reading about tape and sandpaper. And about how maybe God must need tape more, too. Because only speaking words that are helpful for building others up according to their needs, being kind and compassionate, and forgiving brings people together, binds up their wounds, and connects them. While bitterness, rage, anger, slander, and malice breaks people apart, causes conflict between them, and just irritates them.
So, I suppose my bottom-line question for you on this last day of July is this: “Are you tape, or sandpaper?”
Feeling stickier by the minute,
Amy
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29-32 KJV
Trust God for your day, Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie
Thoughts of Grace 