I am never very far from a pencil. Pencils (and tubes of Burt’s Bees lip balm) are stuffed in every crevice of my life: my purse; my car; my nightstand; my kitchen; the living room; the basement; and my desk drawers are bursting at the seams with pencils. I may have a hard time finding a pen when the need for ink arises, but need a pencil? I’ve got you covered. Just make sure you give it back. It may be my favorite. (Ssshhh… They’re all my favorite.)
I couldn’t help but think we can learn a lot from a pencil.
A New Pencil
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
When we become a Christian, we are like a new pencil. That pencil is full of potential.
It could write a masterpiece from heartfelt gratitude…
It could be used to compose a song of worship…
It could be used to draw a magnificent work of art to reflect the beautiful, amazing grace of our Savior!
Just as a new pencil can be used for endless possibilities, so can we as new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
A Sharp Pencil
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” ~Hebrews 4:12 NLT
A pencil needs to be sharpened in order to be useful. What sharpens a pencil? A sharp razor. Since the Bible is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, we have to allow it to keep us sharp, or we run the risk of becoming dull and less effective. Reading the Bible regularly is a key part of staying sharp. But we also need to let the Holy Spirit lead us.
A Pencil Eraser
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” ~ Galatians 5:16 NLT
“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” ~ 1 John 1:9 NLT
On the opposite end of the pencil is an eraser.
When we accept Christ as our Savior, He’s already wiped our page clean by His grace. However, we’re still human. And like a pencil, we may mess up, or leave some smudges on the page as we begin our Christian walk. However, all we need to do is turn the pencil over. We repent and He is faithful to forgive.
If we allow Him, the Holy Spirit can use us to write a story beyond anything we could ever write ourselves. He can use us in unexpected ways.
A pencil may seem an ordinary, unexciting object. But in the right hands, it can accomplish extraordinary things.
If you will allow yourself to be a pencil in the Lord’s hands, He will use you in amazing ways to bring honor and glory to Him. He can use you to write a story that touches the lives around you and the lives of everyone you meet, so they can see that you are in the hands of the Master.
