2 Timothy 3:12  (HCSB) ¹² In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.  source

From my study time today I must ask myself, how’s my persecution level? And from whence does it come? A reading of Matthew 10 reveals the Disciples’ persecutors.
See it HERE.

Who of us just craves persecution? Not me either. Even so I am compelled to mark the differences between Matthew 10 and today.  Perhaps you would read and mark the contrasts you see.  Particularly, take a close look at verses 5-8. Yeah! I’m asking that too. What happened?

^{Matthew 3:12} His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He shall clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn; but the chaff He shall burn up with inextinguishable fire.” source

So, I wanted to know about his winnowing fork; how was it used and for what.  And When is a good question too.  Perhaps ultimately it is the same as the sheep from the goats comparison. See Matthew 25:32.  Winnowing Fork!

Winnowing
Winnowing was the process that separated the mixed up pile of grain, stalk, and husk so that the edible grain could be sifted and eaten. To winnow the grain, the farmer scooped up the pieces of the crop he had just threshed and threw it all up into the air. The wind blew the light pieces of stalk to the side, while the grain, which was both heavier and roundish, fell almost straight back down. Thus, over time, the threshing floor was covered with three quite distinct piles of material. The kernels of grain fell almost straight down or were not blown far at all. The larger pieces of stalk, or “straw,” had blown a little ways off to the side, and the small pieces of stalk, called the “chaff,” had blown even further away.

The farmer used a “winnowing fork,” or a “winnowing shovel” to throw the threshed grain into the air. The winnowing fork and shovel were used in a similar way as people today move loose hay with a pitchfork or broad shovel. The winnowing fork was usually about the size of a pitchfork, but with flat wooden tines to catch more of the grain. Isaiah 30:24 (ESV), mentions animal fodder “which has been winnowed with shovel and fork.”  source

Would not some (early) winnowing be a holy blessing? How easy is it to tell the wheat from the chaff in Christendom today?

And how high a winnowing fork lift and breeze would it take to separate the chaff that has collected around our lives? There is a better way.  

2 Timothy 2: (KJV) ¹⁵ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. source

2 Timothy 2: (TLV) ¹⁵ Make every effort to present yourself before God as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the word of truth.  source