Monday Motivational Message

Monday Motivational Message

Message from Damian Williams Sr., Commissioned Minister

Sharpened Pencils

As I matriculated through formal schooling into college, I remember taking test with number 2 pencils. Back then it never crossed my mind to ask the question of why do we only use number 2 pencils? What’s the reason for not using number 1, or in fact number 3 pencils? Well, through extensive research, it seems that the number 2 pencils are purposefully and specifically made with special lead particles, that when marked on Scan Tron, is readable to the exam score scanner. Speaking of Scan Tron, its purpose is for the test taker to mark their answers in sequence to the question being provided on the test. Regardless of my educational level grade school or college, the teacher always stated before standardize test to make sure that your pencils are sharpened!

We can identify with the use of the sharpened pencil, by looking at our lives. Pencils are bought from stores in packs, and unusable for writing until they are sharpened. For many of us, God’s love, grace, and mercy, propelled us into our purpose place. Many of us found our purpose and passion, when we were at the end of our emotional road, when we were shattered mentally, or when we were separated spiritually. Being used for its intended purpose is the blueprint to success: 

Jesus said in Luke 4:18

New Living Translation
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,

Located on that sharpened pencil, is something that we all need, have used, and will continue to use, the eraser! How many times have we erased answers on that Scan Tron during the test? Sometimes we’ve unknowingly erased the correct answers, just to mark the wrong answers. It’s good to know that we are given another chance to redeem ourselves, and that correction is made available to us all!

Being sharpened takes availability, commitment, dedication, and most of all a sacrifice!!