From ancient times, craftsmen have known how to tailor their material to fit the purpose., Some cloths are practical and durable, useful for work clothes which need to last. Other cloths, like silk, are expensive and beautiful, dyed to make garments that are eye-catching and visually attractive. Similarly, in a home, there are the pots and pan whihc feed families day-in, day-out (my parents’ copper-bottomed pan set, a wedding present 54 years ago, is still going strong), and there are also articles of silver and gold which are precious and treasured.
Paul says, ‘In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.’ (2 Tim 2:20-21)
Ultimately, every Christian should want to be the kind of container that God can use. John Stott writes, No higher honour could be imagined than to be an instrument in the hand of Jesus Christ, to be at his disposal for the furtherance of his purposes, to be available whenever wanted for his service.” This is our aim and goal: to be useful to God.