So… in conversation recently, one of my closest friends called me a “tool.”

But before you get all offended for me, let me clarify.

My friend wasn’t referring to the slang term that’s used to describe someone who’s particularly nasty or stupid.  Instead, she was literally referring to me as a tool that God was using to work in her life!

Since we met just over two years ago, God had been using me and the experiences I was going through, as a way to reach her and work on some of her own issues as well.  I didn’t necessarily know this at the time, but I was able to see pretty early on that our friendship had been divinely designed.  She brought a dynamic that I had been missing in my life and I (apparently) was able to inspire her in ways that she needed.

 

That’s the cool thing about God… He knows us better than we do and He’s got a master plan that we couldn’t even begin to imagine.

From my perspective, I was just going through my life journey.  I knew that God was working on big things in me – helping me to let go of old emotional baggage and false beliefs, releasing me from the bondage of money and materialism and even setting me up to do what I love for a living full time.

But what I didn’t realize, was that just by doing what I felt God wanted me to do in my own life, I was also letting Him use me in other people’s lives.  My obedience, willingness to be molded and amazing experiences with grace, forgiveness and growth were not just lessons for me, but demonstrations for others that were looking in on it from the outside.

 

I must admit, when I stopped to think about it, I was quite humbled that He would choose to use little ol’ me in such a way.  But I was also extremely excited!  I love that God will use us even when we don’t realize it or don’t think we are necessarily “worthy” or “good enough” ourselves.

It’s a pretty cool thing.  And the reason why I to this day, don’t mind at all when she calls me a tool.

– J Baxter