The story of the humble knife
Chef Chong is known in Singapore as one of the leading chefs in Cantonese cuisine. To help you maintain his impeccable reputation, there is a wide variety of kitchen equipment. His kitchen is full of fascinating machinery that will make most housewives drool. Chef Chong shares all these equipments with his eight assistants. The only tools he doesn’t share are his knives. He has a set of seven very sharp knives that no one can touch except him.
One day, one of the old knives, having been sharpened to a shadow of its former glory, broke. Chef Chong is sad that he has to replace it with a new knife. He calls his supplier, who promptly sends him another knife of the same make and type.
Chef Chong is very pleased with his new knife. The weight of it is nice; he balances well in his skillful hands and by looking at the color he knows the steel is forged to the correct tensile strength. With great anticipation, he places his new knife on the whetstone and begins to work on the blade. After an hour of hard work, he hopes the blade is sharp. To his disappointment, the blade is still dull. Frustrated, he puts down the new knife and sighs, “What’s wrong with you?”
The new knife replies, “Master, there’s nothing wrong with me. I just want to be humble. You see, I’m not like all your other knives who are proud and boastful. I’m a humble knife!”
Recovering from his shock, Chef Chong can’t believe his ears. In disgust, he says, “What’s the point of being humble if you’re still outspoken?”
The humble knife replies, “You see, my Master, I don’t want to partake of your glory. If I were to be like all other pompous knives, then all the glory you deserve will be given to us knives.” Imagine, if he could cut or carve all meats with a dull knife, then everyone would praise him for his great skill.”
Chef Chong protests, “My great skill is sharpening good knives and then using them any way I please!”
The humble knife quickly replies, “But then I’ll get the glory. No, my Master! I’ll stay blunt so you can get all the glory!”
The chef is too upset to even speak. He continues to work on the sheet for another hour. Placing his thumb on the blade, he throws the knife away in anger, “You are unwilling to be sharpened.”
The irritated knife replies, “No, I must be humble and remain frank!”
Frustrated, Chef Chong almost rips out the few strands of hair on his bald head. The humble knife refuses to be sharpened no matter what its master does. Ultimately, the only option for the miserable chef is to cast aside this humble knife. He buys another knife, sharpens it and adds it to his collection. Now, he is happy because his reputation and his business continue to grow due to his skills in using his seven sharp knives.
The humble knife thinks to himself, “One day my Master will use me because I am the humblest of all his knives. There it is on the shelf, day after day, month after month, year after year. he looks at himself and discovers that his beautiful blunt blade has lost its shine.
One Chinese New Year, during spring cleaning, one of the helpers unceremoniously throws the humble but rusty knife into the trash. As the lid covers the dumpster, there is a deep darkness surrounding the humble knife. He is puzzled and still wonders, “Why didn’t the chef use me?”
The humble knife has never served a day in the master chef’s kitchen. He dies unfulfilled.
This is the same with many people. They refuse to use their talents and gifts for God. How many potential singers and worship leaders die unsatisfied? How many would-be pastors and preachers go to the grave without stepping into the pulpits? How many people gifted by false humility are not being used by God in his kingdom? What are your talents and abilities that God has given you? Are you maximizing them for the glory of God?