The Pilgrim Road

The other day I had a test-drive in a lazy-boy chair; the soft leather aroma filled the air as my bones sunk into the sumptuous foam. It raises your legs as it reclines, and has an array of remote controls:-like Captain Kirk’s chair on the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise. Unfortunately for the salesman, I suddenly remembered Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men fighting for survival in the Antarctic ice floes a century ago and called to mind a Japanese saying that “luxury is a menace to authentic manhood”.

The current generation of men seem bent on making life soft, convenient, safe and comfortable. Philosophies akin to the American dream point to an earthly paradise and rest after labour with the unspoken suggestion that a cure for sickness, old age and death can’t be far away now. Life’s meaning has become focussed on success, wealth and ease and the avoidance of all woes and challenges. Any obstacle or adversity or departure from the carefully crafted comfort zone is met with horror and ultimately disappointment. 

As a pilgrim people passing through life on the journey to our ultimate goal and destination, we have the opportunity to achieve a different kind of success. I read an insight that changed my thinking about my own trials and sufferings; that the difficulties we encounter are really a way that God initiates us into an authentic Christian manhood. He wants to see us reach our full stature as men and as sons and so will put us through whatever is necessary to achieve that. Even those things which happen to us, which can only be regarded as evil, can be transformed by grace (and time) and become our glory; “We know that all things work for good for those who love God”(Rom 8:28) We can resist this process or embrace it; but it will be lighter if difficulties are accepted as if from God’s hand because then we can prayerfully work through them in partnership.

Viewed from this perspective, and looking back on my own life, from childhood to the present, I can see how my heavenly Father led me through different challenges, trials and adventures; many I rather enjoyed, others are filed under ‘hideous abominations’ but in either case I grew through them, learned and relearned lessons, was hurt and healed and taken together it’s the hardships that form our characters the most. In time they are remembered fondly because of the fruit they bore and ultimately this toil is part of heaven’s price, and as we endure to the end our thrones await us!

You are Like a Pencil

Here are the five things that are common between you and a pencil…
1. A Pencil Has PurposeGod made a pencil to make its mark in this world. Early on, it must establish its purpose—it’s not a backscratcher, or a toy that you twirl around your finger, or a can opener, or (sorry for the grossness) an ear cleaner…
If a pencil diverts its purpose, it will destroy its very existence. It you use it for something else, it will endanger its life. The pencil gets broken and you won’t be able to write anymore.
In the same way, you need to establish your purpose. You can’t be distracted, or you endanger your very existence. You must be focused on one thing. What is your one thing?
I don’t know about you, but I like to be with people of purpose. Who know their one thing. Because they are focused on one thing, they are excellent people. They move with direction.
I ask you again: What’s your one thing?
2. A Pencil Has PriorityThe inside of a pencil is more important than the outside of the pencil. Because the insides are connected to its purpose. On the outside, it could be have dirt, have bite marks, have chipped paint, but that doesn’t matter as long as its insides are working.
Like the pencil, your purpose is connected to what’s inside you, not what’s outside you.
What am I saying? Your money or your house or your car or your watch or your cell phone won’t make you happy. It’s what’s inside you that will make you happy.
The Divine imprint is in you. Inside you is the image and likeness of God. The Bible says “Christ dwells in you.” (Colossians 1:27) and that you are the “Temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Value what’s in you more than what’s outside you!
3. A Pencil Needs PainA pencil has to go through painful sharpening if it’s to be useful. If it doesn’t go through pain, it won’t be able to fulfill its purpose.
In the same way, you need to prepare yourself to go through painful sharpening—if you want God to use you. You will go through trials to test you, teach you, and train you to be better than you were before.
Look back into your life.
There must be a reason why you went through what you went through. There’s a reason why you went through that molestation, that separation, that abortion, that deprivation, isolation, that temptation, that purgation, that tribulation…
I was molested as a child. I will not wish it on my worst enemy. Yet I am able to speak words of healing today because of the pain that I went through.
4. A Pencil Needs PerseveranceIf it makes a mistake, the pencil doesn’t give up. Why? Because it knows it has an eraser. The pencil simply erases its mistakes, and moves on. It doesn’t beat itself and condemn itself and say, “Oh, I’m so terrible. Why did I make a mistake? I’m a total failure.” No such words. When it makes a mistake, it simply erases and moves on.
In the same way, when you make a mistake, God gave you an eraser. It’s the most powerful eraser in the world. It’s called forgiveness.
God forgives you. And asks you to forgive yourself. And asks you to forgive others.
Use your eraser everyday!
5. A Pencil Needs PowerA pencil left by itself cannot fulfill its purpose. Because its power doesn’t come from itself but from the hand that holds it. For the pencil to make its mark in the world, it needs to allow someone’s hand to hold it.
In the same way, you need to allow God’s hand to hold you so you can fulfill your sacred purpose.
Are you allowing God’s hand to hold you, direct you, and use you now?
Friend, let God hold you now.
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez