Ecclesiastes 10:10, “If the ax dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.” (NKJV)
I love the old story about the day the young, muscular, rookie logger challenged the seasoned, wise veteran logger to a challenge. The young rookie challenged the veteran to see who could chop down the most trees from sunup to sundown. The whole town anticipated this contest.
When they started, they both started swinging their ax with strong precise strokes. As the day went on, the young rookie noticed the older veteran stopping to take a lot of breaks. He kind of felt sorry for the older veteran because he challenged the older man in front of the city for fun but also to prove he was the best. When the day was over, the young, rookie logger apologized to the older veteran and said, “I’m sorry I challenged you and embarrassed you in front of all these people.”
