SHARPENING A TWENTY-FOOT PENCIL
Over 1,000 people gathered last Saturday in an upscale Minneapolis neighborhood to witness a man sharpening a pencil. But not just any pencil, a giant twenty-foot-tall #2 pencil, to be precise.
A few years ago, a fierce storm permanently damaged a mammoth oak tree in the yard of John and Amy Higgins. Along with the owners, neighbors mourned. Some even wept. Rather than viewing this as a loss, the couple saw it as an opportunity to repurpose their beloved tree. They enlisted wood sculptor Curtis Ingvoldstad to transform it into a work of art: a replica of a classic #2 pencil.
Each year the couple attaches scaffolding to the artwork, as they hoist a giant, custom-made pencil sharpener. Like a real-life pencil, each time they sharpen it, the pencil shrinks a bit, normally by three to ten inches. The sharpening ceremony on their front lawn draws hundreds of people, some dressing as pencils or erasers as part of the pageantry. This year, two Swiss alphorn players provided entertainment. (https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-where-is-big-pencil-sharpening-13bdada274a6beeb7327ebefbee639d9)
Sounds bizarre, but isn’t that what God does in our lives? When we come to him, he goes to work—chipping, and chiseling away our rough edges, transforming us into his work of art. As God heals our addictions and weaknesses, others see his work and praise God. We take pride in our strengths, but it’s our weaknesses—those parts of us that need to be “sharpened”— that glorify God. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul speaks of delighting in his weaknesses, and adds, “when I am weak, then I am strong.”
God continually sharpens us. It’s not always fun as he shaves away our dull pencil point, but we submit to his sharpener, or perhaps at times, his chainsaw. We may not be a tourist attraction, but to our Father, we are his one-of-a-kind masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) We’re the apple of his eye (Zechariah 2:8), and his inheritance (Ephesians 1:18).
Think of the effort, expense, and joy this couple exerts to maintain their work of art. But that’s nothing compared to what God expends on us. He personally indwells us.
God uses a plethora of pencil sharpeners to shape us: a rude driver, a cranky neighbor, a demanding boss. Next time you feel the grinding of his pencil sharpener, thank him. When you feel weak and unworthy, remember God is continually sharpening us for his purposes. And if you’re ever in Minneapolis…
Principle: Just as we sharpen pencils, God sharpens us to conform to his image.
Ponder:
Looking back, under what circumstances has God sharpened you for his purposes?
How did you grow during those times, and how might you grow today from his sharpening?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
Dear God, thank you that you continually grind down my dull point, making me sharp for your service. Please increase my faith to trust your process more.
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