LIFE IS LIKE A CONVERTING JOB                                            11/7/08

(Note: Bob and Kathy founded and operated Pinnacle Converting Equipment for nearly 20 years.  PCE makes machinery that converts rolls of material into a desired form.  This analogy of Life on earth and Grace, using their industry makes sense to them.  The Holy Spirit will speak truth in the way we are equipped to listen,)

Definition: Converting…….A customer provides a master roll(s) to be converted and finished roll specifications.  A Slitter Rewinder is used to unwind material from the master roll, slit it to width(s), and rewind it to desired diameter or length.  The material is threaded through the machine in a single layer called a Web and is “Converted” to desired finished rolls.

Applying this process to our lives, it seems to me that ……

We are the MASTER ROLL.  Created, woven, extruded, laminated, in God’s way and image, we were created.  All master rolls are different, in widths, diameters, material type, and yardage.  The master roll by itself in original form is unusable and must be converted to something that can be used.  All humans are unique and born with a character prone to sin and to be molded.

The MATERIAL TYPE is our character.  Some materials are easy to work with and do not fight the process.  Most types have some difficulty, static is created during unwinding, edges are frayed, widths are uneven, there are holes in the fabric, splices in the roll, hard spots, soft spots, brittle spots, and sometimes the material breaks completely.  The material characteristics will not change unless it is changed by the process.

The Converting MACHINE is the process of our life.  The machine has processes that convert the master roll.  Some processes include treating the material, removing static, prepping to accept future processes, colorful printing, inspecting, cutting out of bad spots, splicing, tension control, and trimming and slitting.  The process has a beginning and end and variable speed.  On many machines, the process actually increases in speed as the roll reduces in size and the end gets closer yard by yard.

The Converting PROCESSES are Jesus and our submittal to the process is Faith.  It is only through the love of Jesus working in our lives that our character is converted into a form that can be used.  It is only through our surrender and submittal that the process works.  Material not submitting to the process that needs to happen will wrinkle, tear, stretch, break, distort, discharge static, cling to itself, get jammed in the machinery, fray on the edges, or just wind up crooked on the finished roll.  A material in harmony with the process literally sings as it is being converted.

The REWIND process is the accumulation of our history.  Good rolls are created when the process produces rolls of useable specifications and material of proper character.  These rolls can be used by others to build things and beautify the world.  Scrap rolls are created if the material is converted to no real purpose and is unusable for a further process by others or if it has no value in spreading beauty.

The CUSTOMER is God.  The Customer knows what the finished rolls need to look like to be used perfectly for His process.  Anything else is a waste of the Master Roll.  These rolls are scrap and can not be used for their intended purpose.

The disposal of SCRAP rolls is Grace.  Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as full payment for the sins of our life, the scrap material can be removed from the machine and new rolls started to be rewound.  The history in the bad rolls are set aside, forgiven, and redeemed.  They are to be removed “as far as the east is from the west” according to God our Customer.  The material can continue to be converted into good finished rolls without the burden of the poor rolls produced before.

Sometimes the scrap rolls can be SALVAGED or reworked, not into the primary purpose generally, but into a useable secondary purpose.  Sometimes this secondary purpose has nothing to do with the primary purpose and is a surprise or un-thought of use.  This resulting finished goods has value, can be used by others productively, and can bring beauty to the world.

Without submitting to being converted by the love of Jesus and turned into goods according to the will of God, we are making scrap with our lives.  Even if we make finished goods that look good to us, they are scrap if the specifications can not be used.  Our efforts will be bound for the landfill in every case except if they produce according to the will of our Customer, our Father, our Lord, God.