Sometimes we run out of words. And sometimes we have too many of them. Sometimes there’s so much to ask that we don’t even know where to begin. Which is why, on Wednesdays, we simplify to one word. Read more about the idea here.

Sharpen

Pencils are tools for beginners—children learning their alphabets. But they’re also a tool of choice for master artists with so much to express in one bold or delicate stroke. The duller the pencil, the softer the mark—but the softness comes with less precision and little control. When the lead is worn down all the way, the pointy wood splinters around it will gouge your paper, ripping a hole in it. A sharp pencil, on the other hand, makes a crisp, sure stroke. Strong. But you have to be careful not to make it too sharp, or the lead itself might tear through your paper. Or simply snap when you put pressure on it.

It’s a delicate balance, like when we talk to others about You.

Lord, we need Your help. To not injure or push people away, while remaining true to who You are. To accurately portray Your essence without destroying anything in the process. Popular culture wants everything wrapped up with a nice tidy bow. Christian culture wants to make You into something easy to explain, simple to digest. But You are complex and complicated. Sharp and yet soft. Practical and unpretentious, yet glorious and beyond the grasp of our imagination.

Lord, let me sketch an accurate likeness of You, one that is not harmful or inaccurate or misleading. Sharpen my understanding of who You are. Of all sides of You, all aspects. Let me see You in Your wholeness. Let me live my life trying to be who You made me to be. And let me draw you in truth. Amen.