TRUE HUMILITY. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
2 Timothy 2:20-21

OBSERVATION
Paul has a very practical philosophy of life. He believes there's two kinds of people: those used by God for noble purposes, and those who are not used for noble purposes because of their current ignoble use. Gold and silver vessels were used for very important occasions. Wood and clay vessels were used for day to day stuff. In fact, wood and clay articles were used for something dirty because Paul implies that they needed to be clean. And once the cleansing happens and the ignoble things are gone, then the vessel becomes holy in the hands of the Master and used to do good things.

APPLICATION
Without a doubt, Paul calls each one of us to a reality check about our lives. We all start in our journey with God as vessels of wood and clay, dedicated to ignoble purposes, wasting our true potential, engaged in things that the Master doesn't use. That is our nature. But such nature can be altered when we take the responsibility to cleanse ourselves. Nobody can do the cleansing for us. We need to self-initiate the process and continue keeping our lives clean from impurities.

For some reason I always thought that God will take my wood and clay and turn them into gold and silver. The problem with this mindset is that we give then room for feeling entitled, regardless of our true condition. Better being a clean wood and clay article used by the Master for good things than being a god and silver article filled with filth and discarded by the Master. I find that it is more healthy to think about my own life as wood and clay than needs to be cleansed regularly rather that gold and silver that seems to be so righteous. True humility is not defined by what others perceive in me but by what I harbor in my heart. And if I find something filthy in it, I need to cleanse myself right away from anything that would hinder me as a useful article in the hands of the Master to do good things in this world.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for clarifying this illustration in my heart. Forgive me for the many times I felt entitled to your grace and forgiveness, having a false sense of humility, thinking that because you have used me in the past for noble purposes, automatically I will be used in the future. Help me to remain faithful and humble at your feet, always thinking about my own life as insignificant, unless you use me. Give me a clean and pure heart, and the diligence to keep it clean from the selfish and lustful desires of my youth, being always ready to be used by you, my Master., to bring glory to your name. Amen.