Rock Hammer

Rock hammers are interesting tools. They are small, precise instruments used for a variety of things such as carving, geology, and breaking out of Shawshank prison. Many of you, I would assume, have seen the now classic film Shawshank Redemption. Watching Andy Dufresne carve with his tool small chess pieces and a hole big enough for a man to crawl through a prison wall sparked my interest in rock hammers. Acquiring the piece wasn't easy for Andy, as it brought suspicion in his new friend Red, who was a man who could get things.

“Well, if it was a toothbrush I wouldn’t ask questions, I’d just quote a price, but then a toothbrush is a non-lethal object, isn’t it?” (Red)

However, in its true purpose, a rock hammer isn't designed to be a lethal object either. Actually, the intended purpose of the tool is two fold in the field of geology.

First, a rock hammer is used to obtain a new, fresh surface of a rock in order to determine its composition, nature, mineralogy, history and field estimate of rock strength. More simply said, a rock hammer is used to uncover who the rock really is.

Second, and more harshly, a rock hammer is used to crush and break rocks with the aim of finding fossils inside. Geologists will crush rocks to see what treasure is hidden within them.

As my intrigue in rock hammers has remained since seeing the film, I can't seem to get away from this question: What rock hammers do I allow in my life?

What/who are the forces at play in my life working to knock off exterior surface material and discover my true composition? And what/who am I allowing in my to break me open at times to see what "fossils" might be inside? The latter is truly frightening, just think of the exposure of letting someone in to see the deepest fossils in your life.

All of this, to me, sounds like God's desire to sanctify us. He offers to use people and events in our life to help us see ourselves how he views us. How He views us is in the image of Himself we are created. And if we can cling to this God bearing image of ourselves, we will begin to look much more like Jesus. Sanctification.

God will often use critical relationships to "hammer" away at us such as our marriages, our children, or maybe our boss/coworkers. He will use big life events as well to reveal a fresh surface or uncover a fossil in our lives. These people and events are often His vehicle awaken our souls.

However, we are not lifeless rocks. We are persons whom God has given a free will. We must accept the influence of the rock hammers in our life. This is a great challenge. However, if we can expose ourselves enough, and deal with the uncomfortable vulnerability it will create in us, we might experience a moment of freedom similar to Andy Dufresne (and what a moment it was for Andy).