2 Timothy 2:20-21 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor… You are admitted into a great house, along the walls of which are four shelves; on the lower shelf the gold, on the second the silver, on the third the wood, and on the fourth — high, way up where you would think the dust collected — the earthern vessel. Upon one of these four shelves there is each one of those in this congregation. You say, "I am not gold, I am not silver, I am rather wooden if anything, or earthenware; my place is on the very top shelf," and when I ask if you can tell which of those four shelves holds the vessels to honour, you say, "Oh, I suppose those golden or silver ones beneath, and my lot will never be there." The Master enters. "Wilt Thou tell us to-day, for our hearts are all aflame to be used by Thee in the foreign mission or home mission field, where we may stand, to be vessels of honour?" And He says: "I cannot tell by the outside appearance. I must look in." He takes the gold, and says: "That won't do, it is not clean." He takes the silver one and puts it back with a sad look. It is not clean. Bat it may be He comes to those upper shelves, and takes down one of the very commonest of the vessels, and I see a smile come over His face as He lifts it, and He presses it to His lips, and says: "This will do; this is a vessel to honour, this is a choice vessel, it is clean. If a man cleanse himself he shall be a vessel to honour." "Ah, but, Master, there is nothing inside of it." "That doesn't matter. I will put inside what has got to be put inside. I only want a clean vessel to put it in." God says, "My child, you have failed, not because you lack the talent or power, but are deficient in the one thing you might accomplish, having the cleansed heart." (F. B. Meyer.) Parallel Verses KJV: But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. |
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