How Are You like a Map Pencil?

When I was taking some courses in Bible college, they taught me to use erasable map pencils in replacement of highlighters when I highlighted scriptures in my Bible. To my amazement, they work better than anything I have ever used. I have a variety of quite a few of these in many colors. As I was studying my Bible last night,  I was really having a hard time making the mark on the scriptures. I had to press harder & use more time to get the results to show. I looked at the tips & noticed that they were past due to be sharpened; they had become dull & unable to perform their duty as they were supposed to. Finally, after continuing to try to use them in that condition, I grew tired of the effort that I was having to put forth without getting the results that I needed.  I decided to spend a little time sharpening all of the pencils. After sharpening them, I was amazed at the effectiveness of the pencils. Suddenly, I saw it! God was speaking to me. Why had I used these same pencils on a regular basis for so long, yet not even realizing that they were slowly regressing into an almost unusable condition; as if they were never sharpened at all? I had even noticed that they weren't working well, but didn't even take the time to look close enough at the lead to see what the problem was. We can be just like those pencils. We come in a variety of styles and different colors set apart for the use of the master, yet if we are not sharpened through the trials, persecutions, and adversities of life we will not be near as effective.When that pencil is put into that sharpener, and the blade begins to rotate around it cutting off the dullness and residue that is clinging to it, if that pencil could talk, I'm sure that it would testify that it did not feel good at all! However, to a true believer, the sharpening process is vital; necessary. If the pencil were never used, it would never have to undergo the process of sharpening. We will be so much more effective for the kingdom of God after we have been sharpened by the master. While living in this fallen world, we pick up so much residue that clings to us and dulls us; it renders us less effective and many times ineffective. In order to be used by the Lord effectively, we must be willing to go through the sharpening process as often as is necessary. I have certain pencils in my bag that I do not use as often as other ones simply because my task at hand requires certain colors. I have a method of doing things as we all do. Therefore, the colors that I use more often require more sharpening. If those colors could talk, they might just say, "Why don't you use another color, this frequent sharpening doesn't feel so great." Although the sharpening process does not feel good for us to go through, it is worth the Master reaching into his bag of this fallen world, and saying, "I have need of this one, today." Through the pain & agony of the frequent sharpening process, I still desire to be a vessel that God would choose to use often. The pain is worth being used by the Master. He has need of you; Are you willing to go through the pain of the sharpening?

As I write this I am reminded of this scripture in II. Tim chapter 2. There are all kinds of sins listed and commands given from verse 14 through 25, and in the middle of them all falls this scripture in verse 21. "Now if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the master, prepared for every good work."