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A piece of steel 1 round, 6 long, worth about $2

Potential #1 – Worth $5 Heat the material to 2300 degrees Bend it through heating and forcing it to bend around a metal shaft with the correct diameter Beat it flat placing two small bends at the tips of the bend Punch holes into the material over the whole length of the U shaped steel Air Cooled or quench it in water What is it that cost $2 in steel and made a $5 product?

Potential #2 – Worth $350 Draw the bar of steel down to a 1/16 or smaller diameter through heat and pressure Shear the wire to a 3 length Straighten the wire to remove any curve through pressure and heat A sharp point is ground on one end. It is a tight tolerance grounding process with sparks and heat The piece is put in a punch press and unwanted material is punched out in a 15 ton mechanical press A deep impression is made over the length of the material Any rough edges or burrs are removed through additional grinding The material is then tempered with heat to strengthen the material and quenched in oil The overall body of material is polished with an abrasive wheel The holes punched in previously are countersunk through another mechanical press operation The countersunk area is then polished one final time to remove any edges from the outside of the punched hole The material was then placed in canvas pouches and rolled in oil for 8 days After 8 days, the material was placed in sawdust to remove the oil and the material was available for purchase What did they make that took a $2 piece of steel and made it worth $350?

Potential #3 – Worth $250,000 The $2 piece of steel is drawn down to a much smaller gauge wire through heat and pressure. The round wire is pulled through another series of dies at high temperature where it is flattened to a precise thickness and width. The $2 piece of steel becomes a long strip of thin flat steel over a mile long. The small, flat strip of steel is cut into precisely determined lengths based on the modulus of elasticity of the material and the intended us The piece is heated and wrapped around a mandrel under pressure, heat, and force to deform it to hold a very precise bend to form a flat spiral of material. The temperature is tightly controlled. Too hot will cause it to stretch and disfigure, too cold will cause it to be too brittle and break The material now has incredible thermal stresses built up, so a series of heat treating operations are necessary to release them. These heat cycles are closely monitored, since too much to too little could cause the material to fail and disfigure The ends of the material are bent, sheared, ground, or formed to allow proper mating with other materials for the final product The material is then barraged with small steel shot in a process called peening. Thousands of small steel balls hit the material and take out additional stresses by striking the material. The material is then wrapped as tightly as possible to force the material into its optimum shape, size, and strength. If the material is too weak or too strong, portions will be trimmed off until the optimum strength is measured The finished material is then electroplated where a negative charge is put into the material and positive charged molecules get attracted to the base material. The bond that is created is at a molecular level and cannot be undone Finally, an additional number of heat treating applications occur to eliminate any thermal stresses induced by the plating operation. These are closely monitored, since the material has become incredibly valuable and precise at this point in the process. So what did this $2 worth of steel become?

So you choose…. A $2 piece of steel A $5 horseshoe $350 worth of sewing needles $250,000 worth of precise clock springs

Refinement Refinement can make you more faithful, strengthen your resolve, demonstrate the righteousness Christ has birthed in you, and allow His glory to shine bright in dark places Refinement can also embitter you, if you fail to see it as the tool of a Father who loves you, allow it to have its perfect work, struggle against it seeking the easy path, or run from it.

Embracing refinement Trouble is promised – Matthew 6:33-34 We are instructed to get over our own trouble, and help others in theirs – 2 Cor 1:1-11 The Father chastens, disciplines, refines those He loves – Heb 12:7

Simply said – We all start out as the $2 piece of steel. Unlike the horseshoe or clock spring, you get to choose how much, how hot, how long, and how far He takes you based on your willingness to trust