“Hey Dave, try it like this…”
And with that, our capable leader grabbed one of the top boards of my pallet, turned it like a propeller on an airplane and twisted the board right off – with the nails left in the frame of the pallet no less.
Wow. I had been diddling away at this with my wonder bar and hammer to try to pry the plank off, and he did it in one clean action.
Let me explain…
Our pastor wanted to create a masculine back drop for our church stage by building it out of reclaimed pallets. He saw the idea online – it looks very cool. So, he put the word out to the men in the church to come to the church building Saturday morning to pull apart 100 pallets to get the wood we need to build the structure the next week.
It was quite ingenious the way we pulled these pallets apart: a couple of guys had circular saws and simply sawed off both ends of the planks of pallets on the top side, and the bottom side. These pallets were now only held together by the center frame. Six, six inch by ½ inch planks, 3 feet long, on the top side and the bottom side, nailed onto the center frame with two nails in each plank. If you grabbed each end of a plank and twisted it like a propeller it would typically pull right off the frame.
The method I was initially using with my hammer and wonder bar was slow, and I was cracking and splitting boards. Then along came our fearless leader to show me the way.
Ahhh yes, the male work bee for the church…what a great time to connect with other guys, have some fun, do some good, and flex or pull a few muscles.
Have you ever been to a guys’ work day with your church? It is always an interesting study. Some men are truly in their element – great handy men with all the tools, in their glory. Other guys, perhaps more like me, are not really in our glory but we are giving it our best shot. I think we are called “grunts” – we get the unskilled grunt jobs. Which is fine, because we all contribute.
However, you definitely don’t want to look bad at a men’s work day. You don’t want to be the guy who gets hurt, the guy who is an accident looking for a place to happen breaking things or hurting other people, or the lazy guy who just likes to “fellowship” and watch. But even if you are one of those guys, you end up being the butt of some good-natured poking, which is simply how guys bond.
It really is profound to see what men can accomplish when we work together. As I watched (while I worked) and saw the focus with which the men cut, pried, hammered, power-washed and packed those pallets, I was amazed. It is powerful to see men working together toward a common goal. And, it is even more powerful to be part of it. It really felt good to work hard alongside a brother until the job was done – when we were all tired, dirty, sore, satisfied and chowing down on “spud nuts”.
Man, I would like to see more of that. More men working hard together in unity toward a worthy goal – whatever that goal is. We are made to work and walk together for the greater good. I would encourage you this week to consider what that may look like in your life. Resist the propensity to live in isolation. Ask the Lord to help you see how you can work and walk with other men for the benefit of others.
Of pallets, power saws and profound change – I believe the Lord is in the midst of men working together for the greater good, working right along with us. And there is something so satisfying about that.
Psalm 133:1,3a
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!…for there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life evermore.”
Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,”
Galatians 6:9,10
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”