Scriptural Foundation:
2 Timothy 2:20-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Reflection:
My daughter is in first grade. At the beginning of the year she came home from school talking about buckets. “Mommy my heart is a bucket.” The teacher, in an effort to provide something relatable for the class, created the bucket system. The goal is to fill up someone else’s bucket with kind words and actions and to not to knock those buckets over again. I have found this heart exercise, has my already thoughtful daughter, really thinking about how she reacts to situations and vocalizing when something is hurtful to her without whining…bonus! In the same way, we as Believers were created to love and serve the Lord. Each day we choose to be filled up with something – positive or negative – or to stay empty.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10
Life is a cycle…the only catch is that we walk through it once. Today’s foundational scriptures laid out the different types of vessels in the Lord’s great house. I liken these vessels to our progression through the faith.
From a young age, religion was instilled in me. Going to church was the one thing that stayed constant in my life. This carried over into my college years. When others were partying for spring break, my friend and I were building wheel chair ramps for the elderly in rural America. At the time, I never thought I was missing out on anything. The dynamic group of friends I had, made that season of life that much more memorable. Spring break on a beach or in the country, it made no difference to us, we all went to church every Sunday . . . we were all good people.
Clay/Earth to wood vessel – *ostrakinos (G3749)
There are a lot of good people that go to church. However, that is the most primitive relationship we can have with the Lord. The kind that allows, us to keep all our “stuff” that doesn’t fit in with what the Bible outlines as righteous living. This type of relationship may keep you out of harm’s way for the most part, but eventually the “stuff” that you choose to keep will overwhelm you. Suddenly that clay vessel of religion will not be strong enough to keep your life together. As a result, we may have to choose to trade up for a different vessel.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. – 2 Corinthians 4:7
Wood to silver vessel – *xylinos (3585) and *argyreos (G693)
I have found the way one starts one’s day has a ripple effect – positive or negative. I am an early bird . . . not because I live for sunrises, but because I have learned the hard way that a prayerful start sets the stage for a restful day. I don’t read the Word because I am afraid of what God will do to me if I don’t follow a whole bunch of rules laid out by a man-made church format, instead like a person madly in love, I can’t wait to meet with Him in our secret place.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” – Psalm 91:1-2
Silver to gold vessel – *argyreos (G693) and *chrysous (G5552)
It wasn’t until I started studying the Word and watching my words and actions that I found that some aspects of religion and religious people were manufactured. The Lord that I knew through meditating on the scriptures, was a loving God, a faithful God, One worthy of all reverence. Almost overnight, I traded in a cookie cutter religious life, for one that welcomed the presence of the Holy Spirit and I never looked back.
Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15
Gold vessel – *chrysous (G5552)
I know I can never do anything to make the Lord love me less and I am grateful every day for His mercy and forgiveness…because it is hard to love and forgive everyone in life…I mean really hard. However, we should never become disenchanted with life due to the actions of men that we take for granted the things of God. Despite the destructive actions of many, the Lord is still faithful to the few. We must always look to the Lord to finish our race.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. – Hebrews 12:1-4
We may never get to the gold vessel status in this life, but that shouldn’t stop us from striving to be the best vessel for the Lord that we can be. Beloved, remember your walk of faith is not supposed to be perfect, it supposed to be impactful. – Selah
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
- What type of vessel are you?
- What is hindering you for trading up for a vessel of more honor in the Lord’s house?
-
- What sorts of past behaviors are you holding on to?
- What sorts of relationships have past their useful life?
*Note – all word origins were looked up in the Strong’s concordance via blueletterbible.org