A Good Word

"He Wants Me to Sharpen What?"

“If that’s where he really needs me, I’ll get to work,” I blurted to the church secretary. My pride was crushed. Surely God was getting ready to teach me an important lesson.

Only weeks earlier, I had stopped teaching my elementary Sunday School class and was now searching for an adult class I might enjoy. I had narrowed my choices, but before selecting, I wanted to give it more thought.

I still needed to bring my sons to Sunday School, so I decided maybe the church could use me in some way during that class hour. I just knew our pastor could put my organizational skills and experience to work on an important project. When I found out which task he needed me to do, I was shocked.

“The pastor needs you to sharpen pencils in the sanctuary,” the secretary explained. “The ones used in the pews grow dull, and the ushers don’t have time to sharpen them.”

I wanted to tell her this was not the important task I had in mind, but instead assured her I would begin soon. I had never given the state of pencils in our church much thought and was not sure I wanted to now, but I would honor my commitment.

The first Sunday on my new job, I lowered my head and hurried down each pew, humbly gathering stubby pencils. I avoided stares of curious ushers as I rushed to the foyer where I sharpened hundreds—seemingly millions!—of yellow pencils, red pencils, green pencils. All lengths. With erasers and without. I was learning more about pencils than I wanted to know.

Later, as I jabbed each pencil back into its hole in the pew, I dared not spend time to pray for the people whose fingers would grasp them. I wanted to finish quickly and flee the sanctuary.

The next Sunday, I worked under the watchful eye of an usher who was also a friend. He teased me about my “important” job. While I was still embarrassed, I did manage to display something that slightly resembled a smile. My pace even slowed ever so slightly, and I completed my task in less haste.

By the next Sunday, I was able to smile a little more as I searched the pews. And later, I laughed when I heard some choir friends had joked about arriving early just to watch me work.

My stint as a pencil sharpener quickly ended when a few weeks later I joined a great Sunday School class and resigned from my “important” position.

I didn’t give my pencil job another thought until a few months later when I read a request in the church bulletin. The office needed volunteers to cut laminate for a children’s project.

I didn’t hesitate. I called and volunteered for a task I normally would have skipped right over. Only then did I realize what God had done for me.

He humbled me when He led me to sharpen pencils. He had removed my pride by giving me a simple task. He had shown me that many simple tasks are needed in running a church, and my simple talents were important when my pride was put to the side.

Now when I sit in the sanctuary on Sundays, I scan the pews for stubby pencils and I smile. I see from their dull points that no one else has needed humbling lately. But someone will. And when they do, I hope God will lead them to sharpen pencils.

“Those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37, NIV).