A Word from Pastor Nathan

When I was in high school and working toward the rank of Eagle Scout, my uncle, a dyed-in-the-wool Southern Baptist minister, began a hobby of making pocketknives. I have one of his earliest knives and have carried it with me for more than two decades. My uncle’s artisan skills have only grown, and his knives are now in the pockets of well-known country music singers and a former Texas governor.

My uncle and I aren’t necessarily close. Shortly after I turned 21, I mentioned to him enjoying the occasional margarita alongside an entrée of chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce, a delicacy in Texas. That statement didn’t go over well with him, and he admonished me. Years later, I sent my Uncle and Aunt an invitation to my ordination, which was met with no response. Despite difficulties in a familial relationship, I still carry his pocketknife with me.

When I lived in Texas and saw my uncle at regular holiday gatherings, I’d always ask him to sharpen my knife. Though I’ve seen my uncle since moving to Ohio, TSA frowns upon carrying a pocketknife onboard a flight. Since its last sharpening, my knife has survived several cycles in the washing machine. The blade has cut open innumerable Amazon packages. Tape residue has adhered to the sharp edge. Recently, when needing to cut a thread, I realized my knife had become too dull to function.

I texted my uncle and asked if I could ship the knife to him and pay him his cost to sharpen it and return it to me. He immediately responded and welcomed the task and declined payment. I mailed the knife to him with a check. Two weeks later, I received the knife. Not only did he sharpen the blade, but he also disassembled it entirely, cleaned it, and refinished the woodwork on both sides of the handle. It looked better out of the envelope than the day I first received it. He also returned the check with the word VOID written across it.

My uncle and I will probably never see eye-to-eye on much, and I’ll always grieve that. I’d love to tell him about you, dear church, and the fantastic ministry we share. Maybe that will happen in the future. For now, though, we’ll keep a promise of scripture, which says, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).