“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. 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.” (2 Timothy 2:20-21 NLT)
Being used can have many connotations. Especially in modern uses, “used” connotes abuse, misuse, being taken advantage of, often in very negative and harmful ways. However, like the utensils used in the Old Testament sacrificial system were sanctified, set apart for sacred use, so we, as Jesus followers, blood bought children of the living God, can be set apart for sacred usefulness to our Master Jesus.
What a privilege to be chosen. How good we feel when we’re chosen for a position on a sports team, a choir, to play or sing in a performance, or to be chosen for a position that has been a lifelong dream. How much greater to be chosen by the King of kings and Lord of lords to do His sacred bidding.
Remember the “certain immoral woman” in Luke 7 who anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume? The Bible says: “Then she knelt behind Him at His feet, weeping. Her tears fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them.” What an honor to be that woman, but at such a high price. Not only the criticism, ridicule, and rejection of those who thought themselves too good to even associate with such a woman, though I strongly suspect some of them were very nervous because they’d been her suitor.
But think of what was on Jesus’ feet. There were no paved walkways, only well-worn paths traveled, not only by humans, but by many animals, animals that had no discretion as to where they did their business. Think of the dust and mud created by the mixture of weather, animal urine and dung that clung to the sandals and no doubt their feet. Imagine the smell, the roughness of the Savior’s feet, but none of that mattered to the one chosen to give the sacrifice of love that allows nothing to keep them from carrying out what God has called them and empowered them to do.
Robert E. Coleman wrote: “Jesus can use anyone who wants to be used.” Does that include me and you? My sense is the Lord isn’t calling us to wash filthy feet, though I have washed many feet, at home and abroad, and I can’t explain what a privilege and moving experience it was. I’ve washed toilets and hugged sweaty, smelly people, but I don’t remember any foul aroma, only the aroma of Christ’s presence as tears of joy flowed from my eyes. Service isn’t sacrifice when done for the pleasure of King Jesus.
If you want to be used, there is literally no limit to ways we can serve when we don’t care who gets the credit except Jesus. If you want to see some eyes bulge, go to your Pastor or Deacon Board and say something like: “I’d like to serve in any way I can. I’m available these times and I will go where I’m needed and do whatever needs to be done as long as no one knows it’s me except the one(s) I serve. I know the Lord will know and that’s all that matters to me. My service is unto Him for His glory, honor, and fame.”
If we serve with the expectation of being praised, honored, or even thanked, we’ve missed the point. Rarely was the Lord thanked for His kindness or even His miraculous healings. His thanks was the smile on His Father’s holy face and the sound or His voice saying: “This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.”
For us there will be no greater expression of appreciation than hearing: “Well done, My good and faithful servant!”
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
