The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someones hand.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but youll need it to become a better pencil.

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be whats inside.

Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replace the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

 One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someones hand.

A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.

A basketball in Michael Jordans hands is worth about $33 million.

It depends whose hands its in.

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.

A baseball in Mark McGuires hands is worth $19 million.

It depends whose hands its in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.

A tennis racket in Pete Sampras hands is a Wimbledon Championship.

It depends whose hands its in.

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.

A rod in Moses hands will part the mighty sea.

It depends whose hands its in.

A sling shot in my hands is a kids toy.

A sling shot in Davids hand is a mighty weapon.

It depends whose hands its in.

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish

sandwiches.

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in Gods hands will feed thousands.

It depends whose hands its in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.

Nails in Jesus Christs hands will produce salvation for the entire

world.  It depends whose hands its in.

As you see now it depends whose hands its in.

So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams,

your families and your relationships in Gods hands because...

It depends whose hands its in.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but youll need it to become a better pencil. 

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you. The Jerusalem Church faced persecution. Jesus told the disciples to be witnesses all over the world. But they stayed in Jerusalem. This persecution directed them to take the Gospel to Judea and Samaria Acts7, 8 
2. God uses problems to INSPECT you. A daughter complained to her father about her life and how things were
so hard for her. She did not how she was going to make it and wanted to
give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one
problem was solved a new one arose.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with
water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In
one he placed carrots, in the second he placed eggs, and the last he
placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a
word.
The daughter sucked her teeth and impatiently waited, wondering what he
was doing. In about twenty minutes he and turned off the burners. He
fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs
out and placed them a bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and placed it
in a bowl.
Turning to her he asked. "Darling, what do you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and
noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break
it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled as she tasted its
rich aroma.
She humbly asked. "What does it mean Father?"
He explained that each of them had faced the same adversity, boiling
water, but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid
interior. But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside
became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the
boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you," he asked his daughter. "When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean? "
3. God uses problems to CORRECT you. Psalm 119: 67, 71-72 
4. God uses problems to PROTECT you. A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Joseph went through all those problems of being sold as a slave, etc to be protected from his own brothers. Otherwise his brothers would have killed him. He would have been in danger always if he would have stayed with his father. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good . . ." Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
5. God uses problems to PERFECT you. Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things youre going to take with you into eternity. James1: 2-4; Romans 5:3-4 
Heres the point: God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But its much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him! "Never resist a temporary inconvenience if it results in a permanent improvement"

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Saul 1Sa15: 24, 30; 26: 21,

Pharaoh Ex9: 27; 10: 16-17,

Achan Jos7: 20,

Balaam Num22: 34; 2Pet2: 15; Jude1: 11; Rev2: 14,

Judas Mt27: 4,

David 2Sam12: 13; Ps32, 38, 51,

Prodigal Son Lk15: 18, 21

Four: The most important part of you will always be whats inside. Pr4: 23; 23: 7 The world looks on the outside: family background, Educational qualification, beauty, smartness, language, male, female, caste, religion, colour, position and possession, Brains, biceps and bank balance. But God looks on the inside 1Sam16: 7; 2Cor4: 7. David, Joseph Ge41: 38, Daniel 5: 11, 12; 6: 3. Man wants qualifications and abilities, but God works through disqualifications and weaknesses. 1Cor1: 26-29

Foolish-Jerichos fort, Jehoshaphats victory

Weak David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh

Base Namaans maid

Despisable Raven, Balaams ass, Jonahs fish

Things that are not Abraham Ro4: 17ff; Elishas dead bones 2Ki13

Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

Whatever our hands touch, we leave fingerprints! On walls, on furniture, on doorknobs, dishes, books, as we touch we leave our identity.

Wherever I go today, help me to leave heart prints! Heart prints of compassion, of understanding and love, of kindness and genuine concern.

May my heart touch a lonely neighbour, or a runaway daughter or an anxious mother or perhaps a dear friend

I shall go our today to leave heart prints and if someone should say, I felt your touch that one sense be Your love touching through me.

May God bless you to fulfil His plan and purpose in your life.