A beautiful picture – I want to be like that
2 Timothy 2:20-26
20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
This passage paints a few incredible pictures that are useful when we are thinking about how to grow in Jesus.
The first one is the idea that there are different types of containers in a kitchen – the good china, the everyday plates and bowls and the kitchen tidy for collecting food scraps. This is something we are all very familiar with. God wants us to aim to be the “good china” – to be kept for the special occasions. Because such china is used occasionally it keeps its good quality. It doesn’t get used for the rubbish, so it is not tainted by contact with such material.
The way we become the “good china” is to become a mature Christian – to not be distracted by indulgences that are not of God and to be focused on faith, love, peace and prayer in community – with those who are like minded.
Verse 24 in the Passion Translation is another useful picture for us: “For a true servant of our Lord Jesus will not be argumentative but gentle toward all and skilled in helping others see the truth, having great patience toward the immature.”
Being focused on gentleness, helping people see the truth and being patient with everyone is a great description of how we should live.
Dear Lord, thank you for speaking in pictures so that we can understand well what you want of us. Thank you that the type of person you want us to be is one who is focused on growing in faith, love and peace. Someone who spends time in prayer in a community of people who pray and someone who is gentle and patient and learns enough of your word to help others hear from you. Help us to be a person like this, help us to have these ideas in the front of our minds each day and to grow closer to you by focusing on this picture. Amen
Written by Therese Manning