What Does Your Staff Read?
 

We're studying the book of Genesis in my Sunday School class, and my pastor, who is a bit of a history buff, explained the importance of 'The Staff' in ancient times.

It was Moses' staff that turned the Nile into blood. It was his staff that turned into a snake and ate all of Pharoh's wizards' snakes. Pretty powerful stuff - that staff. It later opened up a rock for enough water to flow to have thousands drink from it, as well as their animals. And do I need to mention the parting of the sea? 

Even before Moses time, the Staff was important. It was a defense weapon, keeping coyotes and wolves at bay, it's hook caught wayward sheep, and gave a man something to lean on when the only mode of transportation were his two feet. 

More significantly than that though, it was a record keeper. The common man did not have paper and pen, books or even papyrus, so how to record births, deaths and marriages? The answer was the STAFF. When a young man was ready to leave his family and start off on his own, he was given his Staff. As important things happened in his life,: marriage, births, etc. they were carved into the wood, and a man would never go anywhere without his staff. So all the world would know this man's history.

Sara Lipnitz  wrote a recent post , which triggered my thinking about this. I have a staff. My husband made it for me when I was having trouble with uncooperative legs. I keep it in my car to climb up and down these Ozark Mountains when showing property. I had thought of decorating it at one time, but what would I put on my staff? Number of homes sold - listings - prizes or trips won - satisfied clients? More appropriately perhaps, a record of my money market accounts, stocks, savings, marriages, children, grandchildren, friends?

And if I carried this staff with me everywhere, how would I feel about the whole world knowing my life by looking at my staff? Could I be transparent enough for that to be known to one and all? I think a current 'staff' is being created by today's scrapbooking craze. I know parents who have a scrapbook constructed for each of their children. It will be a record of their childhood that they will cherish when they are adults and perhaps become their staff.

My 'staff' in real estate sales is another matter all together. I imagine it would start with a record of my attending Real Estate School, the next mark would be passing my state exam and receiving my license, followed by my Realtor designation. Further goals reached, achievements recognized, and client's satisfied, could all be noted and carved forever into my faithful companion. And yes, as I reflect on this, I can be transparent and let all who would, read my staff (my legacy) and be proud to pass my staff to the next generation to read forever who it was that went before them.

"They rod and thy staff they comfort me."