Lesson #2

Have you ever thought about what a simple #2 pencil has in common with the Christian life?

It’s a humble tool. It’s cheap, it’s common, and it’s often overlooked. But in the correct hand, that pencil can design a skyscraper or write a letter that changes a life. For our 2026 Lads to Leaders theme, "Faith Works," the pencil is a perfect reminder of what James 2:17 tells us: "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Just like a pencil that never touches paper is failing its purpose, a faith that doesn't act is missing the point. Here are the four "Laws of the Pencil" to help you move from potential to production.

1. A pencil cannot move itself. To be useful, it must yield to the hand of the author. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to lean not on our own understanding, but to let God direct our paths. When we let go of the "controls" of our life and let the Master Author take over, our faith starts to move in the right direction.

2. The most important part of the pencil isn't the yellow paint on the outside; it’s the graphite core on the inside. If the core is shattered, the pencil is useless. For our faith to work, our hearts have to be right. Psalm 51:10 says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God." If we fill our "core" with the Word of God, we won't snap when the world puts pressure on us.

3. No one likes the sharpener. It’s painful, it involves a blade, and it shaves away parts of us. But as James 1:2-4 teaches, those trials produce patience and make us "complete." If you feel like you’re being worn down today, don't panic. It just means the Author is getting you ready for the next chapter.

4. We all make mistakes. We "misspell" our lives with sin. But we serve a God of second chances. Micah 7:19 tells us He casts our sins into the depths of the sea. Because of Jesus—our "Eraser"—a mistake doesn't have to be the end of our story. We can wipe the slate clean and keep working for Him.

Finally Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

At the end of the day, the worth of a pencil is found in the work it leaves behind on the page. The same is true for us. Don't let your life be a blank page. This year, let’s stop just talking about our faith and start showing a Faith that Works.