Westhill Church - Auburn & Federal Way, WA

The WEekly Word

A Blog of Encouragement from our Pastors

weekly word – 11/13/2025

The Broken Carpenter: A Story Based on James 4:6–10

As the morning sun rose over the quiet town of Maple Hollow, spilling light across the hills and rooftops, Samuel Trent was already hard at work in his small workshop at the edge of town. The sound of his hammer striking nails echoed through the open window. His hands were rough, his shoulders broad, and his eyes intense. For years, he had been known as the finest carpenter in three counties. His furniture graced city offices and wealthy estates, each piece marked with his name carved into the wood — S. Trent, Master Craftsman.

But over the years, his confidence had hardened into pride. He began to speak often of what he had built, what he had accomplished, and what he deserved. People admired his skill, but fewer and fewer people admired the man. Daniel, his apprentice, split a fine piece of walnut one day, and Samuel’s anger flared. He threw the broken board aside and shouted, “A man who can’t handle wood has no place in my shop!” Young Daniel left the shop, humiliated, and never returned.

That night, Samuel stood in his quiet workshop, the air thick with the smell of sawdust and varnish. He felt no guilt—only irritation. “Fools,” he muttered. “They just don’t have my gift.” Yet somewhere deep in his chest, uneasiness stirred, a whisper he tried to silence.

A few weeks later, tragedy struck. A fire broke out in the back of the workshop. It started small—an oily rag left near the wood stove—but by the time Samuel awoke, the flames had devoured the back wall. He ran barefoot into the night, shouting for help. Neighbors rushed to form a bucket line, but it was too late. By morning, the proud craftsman stood among the smoking remains of his life’s work. All the tools, all his projects, all the blueprints—gone.

In the days that followed, Samuel became a shadow of himself. He wandered the ashes with empty hands, unable to speak of what he had lost. For the first time, he had nothing to boast about. His pride had burned with the wood.

One afternoon, Pastor Amos stopped by. The older man, gentle and gray-haired, found Samuel sitting on a fallen beam. “Sam,” he said quietly, “I’m sorry. I know how much that shop meant to you.”

Samuel didn’t look up. “It was my life,” he muttered.

Pastor Amos nodded. “Maybe that’s the problem.”

Samuel frowned. “What do you mean?”

Pastor Amos opened his worn Bible and read softly, “‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”

Samuel sighed. “I know that verse. But I don’t see any grace here.”

Pastor Amos looked around at the ruins. “Maybe not yet. Grace doesn’t always come when the walls are still standing, Sam. Sometimes God lets them fall so He can rebuild what’s inside us.”

He laid a hand on Samuel’s shoulder. “James 4 says, ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God… Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.’ Maybe it’s time to stop building with your hands for a while—and let God rebuild your heart.”

Samuel turned away, but the words lingered long after the pastor left.

That night, Samuel sat in his small rented room above the bakery. He opened a Bible that had been gathering dust for years. His eyes fell again on James 4. He read the words slowly: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Something inside him broke. For the first time in years, tears came freely. “Lord,” he whispered, “I’ve been living for myself. I thought I could build a life without You. Forgive me.”

As he prayed, he felt a strange peace settle over him—a quietness he hadn’t known since his youth. It wasn’t the peace of pride or success. It was the peace of surrender.

The next morning, Samuel walked into town. The people who once admired him now avoided his eyes. He didn’t blame them; his pride had left scars. He stopped at the church and found Pastor Amos sweeping the front steps.

“Pastor,” Samuel said softly, “I need work—not just to earn money, but to learn again. I want to serve. I’ll sweep floors, repair pews—whatever’s needed.”

The pastor smiled. “The Lord is already lifting you up, Sam. There’s an old widow named Mrs. Carter whose porch steps have rotted through. Why don’t you start there?”

Samuel nodded gratefully. That afternoon, he carried his few surviving tools to the widow’s home. The boards were splintered and unsafe. Mrs. Carter came to the door, leaning on her cane. “Mr. Trent! I didn’t expect someone like you to come out for such small work.”

Samuel smiled humbly. “It’s not small, ma’am. It’s good work.”

He spent the day quietly mending the steps. Each nail he drove seemed to echo with new meaning. This time, he wasn’t building to be admired—he was building to serve.

When he finished, Mrs. Carter brought him a cup of tea. “My late husband would be pleased with what you’ve built,” she said. “You’ve given me my porch back.”

Samuel gazed at the restored steps, then looked upward. In a quiet voice, he responded, “Thank you, ma’am, but it was God who gave me my abilities.”

Weeks turned into months. Samuel began helping wherever there was need—fixing fences, repairing roofs, restoring old church benches. People began to see a change in him. The sharpness in his eyes had softened; his words carried warmth instead of pride. When someone praised his craftsmanship, he would simply say, “It’s grace that guides these hands now.”

One Sunday morning, Pastor Amos asked him to share his story with the congregation. Samuel hesitated, then stepped to the pulpit. His voice trembled as he began.

“Most of you know what I lost,” he said. “But I want to tell you what I found. When the fire took everything, I thought God had turned against me. But I learned that it was my pride that stood in the way. I had built my life to glorify myself, not Him. When I finally fell to my knees, He met me there. James 4:10 says, ‘Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.’ That verse isn’t about being made famous—it’s about being lifted out of the ruin of your own pride. God gave me more than a new workshop. He gave me a new heart.”

He paused, tears shining in his eyes. “If you’re fighting your own battles, if you’re holding on to your pride, lay it down. Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you. I’ve lived those words. They’re true.”

When the service ended, several men came forward, asking if he would teach them woodworking—but more than that, how to walk with humility. Samuel smiled. “Let’s start with prayer,” he said.

Years later, a new sign hung over the rebuilt workshop. It no longer read S. Trent, Master Craftsman. Instead, it said simply:

“Grace Woodworks — Built by His Hands.”

And below it, carved deeply into the frame, was a verse Samuel never wanted to forget:

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” — James 4:10

In many ways, this story mirrors the message of James 4:6–10—a call to humility and submission before God. Pride isolates and destroys, but humility draws the soul back to God’s grace. When we stop striving for self-glory and submit to Him, He rebuilds our lives from the inside out. God’s promise still stands: If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.

Ed Johanson © 11/8/25

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10/09/2025 – God's Attributes: The Immutability of God – Bryan

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