Refined for Usefulness

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2 Timothy 2:20–22. 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.

What it is speaking to me:

When I got into working for a construction company I learned there are different types of hammers for different jobs. I thought hammers were hammers, and used for hitting things: boards, rocks, brothers, and occasionally nails. The hammer you are thinking of right now in your mind is a standard claw hammer, but I learned about framing hammers, roofing hammers, trim hammers, and many more. According to Bob Vila, there are at least 25 Types of Hammers. Who knew?

I learned quickly that the right tool for the job makes a WORLD of difference. Using something that isn't quite right makes the job needlessly more difficult. Because the right tool is the most useful tool. That phrase in the verse from 2 Timothy "useful for the Master", speaks to me that being refined through repentance, through growing out of immaturity, through acting on what God has for us to do, makes us more and more useful to God.

Now people aren't hammers. And we aren't the wrong types of hammers even if we were. In Ephesians Paul writes "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10). We are created for good works. We are the right tool for the right job, the only thing that mars that is our sin and immaturity. But this is the beauty of being refined! When we repent and grow, our creation purpose, our workmanship, can be fully displayed. Fully brought to bear. We become the most useful, the most fruit-bearing we will be this side of heaven. We are the hammers we were meant to be!

(okay okay, I returned to the hammer analogy. Sorry, I just like hammers.)

What is it saying to you?

• What areas of your life feel the most useless? How much of that area is connected to a sin, or immaturity?

• What areas feel the most useful? Are they the areas that you have most exercised? Developed? Struggled through to mastery?

What are we going to do about it?

We can take a small step TODAY in repentance, or in growing in something that we know will make us more useful for our Master.