Clean and Ready for Use

Scripture — 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (NRSV)

In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work.

Devotion

As a child, I remember hearing my mother say that when she was growing up that the fine china (such as porcelain) was only used on special occasions in her family. Then, as she got older as a young adult, her godmother would say, “Girl, use all the fine cutlery and utensils now; don’t wait for no special occasions, because you never know how long you will live – use it while you’re still living!”

In today’s text, the Apostle Paul continues his fatherly encouragement to Timothy, and this time, he uses the metaphor of a great house or mansion. He says these are not only houses filled with vessels of expensive and cherished gold and silver, but they also have elements of wood and clay. These utensils have two purposes; one is for honor and one for dishonor. Today, we all are aware of the importance of kitchen utensils, as utensils are used for specific tasks. We have utensils for food preparation or our basic daily eating utensils.

Paul admonishes Timothy to cleanse himself in order to produce a life of honor. The focus in this section is on the cleansing of the vessels; in this case the individual person is required to wash him or herself to be a clean vessel to be used for God. And, in this example, as followers of Jesus we are considered the utensils being used for the kingdom.

In the previous verses, Paul explains the good worker and the bad worker with the importance of truth being spoken as a good worker. It also means that as a community we make a decision to cleanse ourselves from false teaching, which was also another form of cleansing and sanctification. Paul further reiterates that as Christians we are to turn away from unrighteousness, as people who have been washed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ.

The priority is the cleanness of the vessel; therefore, as leaders, our calling is strong. Our calling is to be a leader who is a vessel, determined to be a vessel of honor in the house of God (the local congregation). In our daily lives, it should be more than in the house of God; in fact, it should be wherever our feet take us.  Whether we are called to do a big task or a small task, we are to be vessels who take coming daily before the Father for cleansing as priority. In order to be used at our best, we need to be cleansed. Let’s face it, no one likes to go to a restaurant and pick up a dirty fork or spoon to be used. We can be like the Psalmist David who said in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God and know my heart, test me….see if there is any wicked way in me….”

When we come before the Father for daily cleansing, we are coming with a purpose to remain sanctified and prepared for the work He has called us to do. Furthermore, no one goes to a new job dirty, or to a job on any day for that matter; no one goes to work in dirty clothes; no one would go to a wedding or their child’s graduation in a dirty outfit. These are all special occasions on which we make sure we look our best in the best way we know how in our appearance. We want to look our best to reflect that we are the best for the job. Once a person has been washed by the blood of the Lamb, with a life surrendered to Jesus Christ, he or she is now considered a noble vessel. This should be our constant prayer: to be a vessel of honor, saved and sanctified for the work of God.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Guard the Tongue (2 Timothy 2:14–26).