The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one shepherd. Ecclesiastes 12:11
I will fasten him like a nail in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his ancestral house. Isaiah 22:23
For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of the horse, a rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy. All for want of care about a horse shoe nail. Ben Franklin
During the long months of quarantine, Randy and I found some entertainment on Netflix. The series Heartland became a favorite of ours because, not only is it a heartwarming story about a multigenerational family, but also, it has been interesting to learn about the heart of horses. It is amazing to see them in the light of their different personalities, expressions, temperament, and love for each other and their human family.
Each horse has their own set of problems, suffer hurt, abuse, have a sense of humor, hearts of love, memories of good and bad committed against them, and many more human like emotions.
It’s interesting that in the 1973 Kentucky Derby, Secretariat (the winner), was the last to leave the starting gate and trailed the race until the stretch when he made his move. It is said that most horses are worn out by the first 3/4 mile mark, but they run the last l/2 mile on purely on heart. Secretariat won that race by exemplifying heart, but imagine the possible consequences if his shoe had been missing a nail.
The above proverb reminds us that seemingly unimportant acts or omissions can have grave and unforeseen consequences. Small things matter. A horseshoe without a nail can be catastrophic to the horse and its rider. It’s almost impossible to believe that because of a missing horseshoe nail, a kingdom would be eventually lost.
A nail, as small as it is, can be an example of a few things. First, the nail can puncture. Jesus had holes in his hands and feet from nails driven there by those who would punish Him for His beliefs. Sometimes in this life, there are those who try to punch a hole in everything in which we believe. It hurts, but sometimes the only way we can truly know what we believe is when we are forced to defend it.
A nail also usually leaves a scar. Jesus used those scars on His hands and feet to prove to His disciples that He was the risen Lord. Jesus was rejected, criticized and even despised, but because of those scars, He is now the cornerstone or foundation of everything.
A nail is an example of strength. When holes are punched in our life, we get scars, but we also change and grow. God is then able to build us up and fill us with strength and a life that is so much better than we had before.
A nail can also be an example of endurance. Once we have endured the pain, the scars, and found the strength, we find a new commitment to draw on His grace and keep moving forward regardless of circumstances. We realize we can endure!
Finally, a nail speaks of security – it fastens things together. When things are nailed together, it is the nail itself that makes the pieces secure.
The story is told of a man who attended a tent revival meeting and every night tried to give his life to Jesus. Yet, as he left each evening, Satan came to him to try and convince him that if he didn’t feel changed, he wasn’t redeemed. After many nights of the same scenario, the man drove a nail into the ground where he had knelt to accept Christ. As he was leaving, Satan tried his usual tactics to dissuade the man. The man quickly returned to the nail in the ground, pointed to it and said, “Satan, do you see this nail? This is my witness that God has forever accepted me.” Satan departed from him and the man never experienced doubts again. Still Small Voice
The take away for me is, nails can puncture, nails can leave scars, but nails can also symbolize strength and endurance, and nails can speak of security. If we look at the nails as only holes or scars, we miss the beauty they can bring from nailing us as Christians together and making us secure in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. Don’t neglect the nails in this life; but rather, build on them.