ParableOfThePencil(GodWillSupply)(God’sLove)

AndmyGodwillmeetallyourneedsaccordingtotherichesofhisgloryinChristJesus.Philippians4:19

TheBasicBibleTruth

GoddearlylovesHischildrenandwillsupplyeverythingthattheyneedandevenmore.

TheObject

AnAssortmentOfPencils,EachLargerThanTheNextTheParableOfThePencil

As a woodworker by trade, I have an advantage overmany. I canmakemy own pencil props. Myassortmentisasfollows:

1. 2incheslong2. 8incheslong3. 14incheslong4. 20incheslong5. 36incheslong6. 96incheslong

AsIbeginreadingthestory,Ihavemysmallestpencilinmyhand.Iwillusuallyhavemadearrangementswithsomeoneintheaudiencetointerruptmealmostimmediatelyandcasuallymentionthatthepencilinmyhandisanawfullysmallpencilforapresentationlikethisone.WemaybanterbackandforthabitandIwilleventuallyadmitthattheyareright,andfindmynextlargerpencil,adlibbingsomethingintheveinthatthisismuchbetter.AndIstartthestoryagain,onlytobesooninterruptedbythesamepersonwhochidesmeonuntilIproduceabiggerpencil.ThenIstartthestoryagain,withthesameresults.ThisgoesonandonuntilIfinallybringoutthebig8footpencil.Andwhatcanyoudowithan8footpencil?Why,you“helicopter”an8 footrulerupon its tip. (Yes, Imadeoneof those, too.) Whileholding thepencilwiththeruler“helicoptering”aboveme,Ireadtheparable.

TheLesson

THEPARABLEOFTHEPENCIL

Onceuponatimetherelivedanexpertcraftsman.Allwhoobservedhisachievementswouldstandinaweandadmirationofhisabilities.Hisattentiontodetailwasespeciallystriking.Hewasskilled...veryskilledindeed.Andnoonecouldrecallatimewhenthecraftsmanwasnotinhismagnificentworkshopcreating.“Absoluteperfection”hardlyseemsadequatetodescribehistechnique.

Andsowefindhimathiswork,asalways,buildingamostuniquecommodity-pencils!Yes,pencils!

Dayafterday,pencilafterpencil,thecraftsmanexpertlyandmeticulouslycreateshisprizedpossessions.Anendlessparadeofvariationsofcolors,shapes,andsizes,eachisproducedwithpurpose,withreason,andwithintent.Nothingbutthefinestmaterialsaretobefoundonthestorageshelves.Handselectedclearcedarwoodforthepencilitself,thepurest,costliestgraphiteforthe“lead”centercore,andsheetsofacomposite,rubberlikesubstance,fromwhicheraserswillbepainstakinglycut.Containersofpaint,everycolorandhueimaginable,lineonewall.Eachhandmadepencilisone-of-a-kind.Notwoareeveralike.Eachisuniquebyspecificdesign,composedforaspecifictask,atoolforthecraftsmantouseashepleases.

Whatawondrouscollectionofpencilshehas.Hispencilboxcontainseverycoloroftherainbow.Somepencilslookalmostbrandnew.Othershavequiteapparentlyseenmuchuse,andaresomewhatworndown.Everypencilhehasevercreatedishere.Yousee,hispencilswerenevercreatedforanyonebuthimself.Theyarehistouseashewishesandenjoyforever.Thesepencilshavebutonepurpose.Thesolereasonfortheirexistencerestscompletelyinthecraftsman.Hedesigns,creates,andusesthemasheseesfit.Heknowseachintricatelyandcompletely,anduseshispossessionscarefully.Noneeverfalltothesideandbecomelost.Gingerly,attheendofeachday,thepencilsarecollectedandplacedinthepencilboxforsafekeeping,awaitinganotherdayofservicetotheirmaster.

Beforeplacingeachnewpencilinthepencilbox,thecraftsmanwouldthoughtfullyandwarmlyspeaktohispencil.

IcallyouP-E-N-C-I-L.Pencil.Idoso,thatyouwillrememberwhoyouare,andyourpurposehere.“P”standsforprovision.Pencilshaveveryfewrealneeds.Butyouaremycreation,andIloveyou.

Iwillprovideforyourneeds.Iwillprovideforallyourneeds.Andoutofmygoodnessandgenerosity,Iwillgiveyouevenmore.Enjoybeingapencil,don’tworryaboutwhatyouneedfromdaytoday.Iwillprovide.

“E”remindsyoutoexpectsomething.Youwillexperienceapainfulsharpeningfromtimetotime.Sodon’tbesurprisedwhenithappens.Itisnecessary.Withoutit,youwillbecomeofverylittleusetome.Itismydesirethatyoulearnthroughthesedifficulttimes.Iwillonlyallowitforashorttime.Andyouwillbeamazedatthehowmuchbetteryouwillbefortheexperience.

“N”shouldbringtoyourmindthatyouhavenogreatvalueinyourself.Thecostofthematerialsthatmakeupyourphysicalselfisnegligible.Yourrealvalueisinhowwellyourespondtothehandthatholdsyou.Imadeyouformypurposes.GowhereItakeyou.MovewhereIdesire.Iamthetrueartist.Andfrommyvantagepoint,Icanseethewholepicturemuchbetterthanyou.

“C”isforcorrection.Youhavethepotentialtocorrectmanyofyourmistakes.Itmayturnyourworldupsidedowntodoso,buttheendresultisworththeeffort.Socorrectwhatisinyourabilitytocorrect.

“I”representswhatisreallyimportant.Rememberthatitisnotsize,orshape,orcolorthattellstheworldwhatyouare.Whatismostimportantaboutanypenciliswhatisontheinside.Thatcoredeepdowninsideyou.

“L”tellsyoutoleaveyourmark.Othersmaycomealongbehindyou,andtheywillbelookingtoseewhereyouhavebeen.Whereveryougo,leaveyourmark,clear,cleanandprecise.ItiswhatIcreatedyoutodo.Sodoitwell.

Andthecraftsmanandhispencilslivedhappilyeverafter.

THEEND

ScripturetakenfromtheHolyBible,NEWINTERNATIONALVERSION®,NIV®Copyright©1973,1978,1984,2011byBiblica,Inc.®Usedbypermission.Allrightsreservedworldwide.