Craig Clouston

Product Knowledge

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV

An accomplished woodworker, Craig loved creating fine works of art with his hands. Over the years he had turned out some beautiful pieces of furniture and cabinetry. Recently, he’d used his skills to make hand-crafted wind chimes.

Platforms, clappers, and wind-catchers were created from discarded pieces of hardwood from area furniture shops. Cast-off metal tubing from scrap-metal businesses supplied the tubing; copper, brass, steel and aluminum from all sorts of objects were sorted through to get what he needed for bells.

Dubbed ‘Phoenix Chimes’, he made beautiful works of art from scrap. The combination of fine hardwood and re-polished metal made eye-catching creations. They began selling like wildfire. Things were going great.

Then he received an MMS picture from one of his customers. Their chimes looked ten years old! Exposed to two thunderstorms in less than two weeks, the product used to clear-coat the wood had deteriorated; the chimes were ruined!

Craig contacted the ‘Do It Yourself’ store where he’d purchased the product at their recommendation. After further investigation, the store manager revealed that the product was meant for interior use, and not recommended for exterior applications.

Since one of their employees had recommended the product, they refunded the cost of all purchases. But that left Craig with the task of contacting each person who had purchased his musical art, to ask them to ship the chimes back, at his expense, so he could strip the wood and resurface each piece with the appropriate product.

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Product knowledge is vital. If we don’t know what we’ve got we have no idea how to apply it, nor do we know how it will stand up under duress.

This illustration has spiritual applications as well. Many times we receive spiritual advice from people who mean well but don’t base their recommendations on Biblical knowledge. Eventually, the counsel they’ve given will fail to hold up against the trials of life. It can even leave us worse off than before.

Paul told Timothy to be diligent, to study God’s word so he would know the truth when he heard it. We also, should take our instruction from Scripture; a Product that is both trustworthy and true.

Prayer

“Lord, as I study Your word, give me the ability to apply it correctly in the world. And help me to never give inaccurate advice. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”