The following is an excerpt of last Wednesday’s live presentation of “Seasonings with Sarah” at Dunn Bros Coffee Shop in Eden Prairie, MN. We’d love to see you at one of our next gatherings on Wednesday, November 3 or November 17, 9:30 a.m. Directions

I was reading my bible a few weeks back and came across this passage:

In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.

2 Timothy 2:20-21 The Message

What followed was a visual journey of what God’s “ideal” container would look like. Interestingly, in order for me to get to that place, I first had to delve into the types of characteristics that would NOT be on his list.

Picture first a beautiful, red soup pot, beautifully adorned, polished and perfect for serving. But upon closer examination, this container has a lid. Ooops. The ideal container surely cannot be closed off from God and the Holy Spirit. If we remain self-absorbed with our lids on, we struggle to hear promptings and our attitudes say “unavailable”. Busyness is the classic symptom of this container, as well as preoccupation about how we look and function with little regard for others.

Next imagine a gorgeous, fragile, crystal vase. This vessel is open, which is a good start, but it finds great comfort “staying in the cupboard” among the other vases and dishes like itself. It remains insulated and fearful of being used, lest it would be “broken” in the process. These are classic symptoms this container lives with, as well as the desire to be more for show than practical use.

A compost bin offers our last image. Even though this container is open, it surely isn’t pretty. We each have our own “garbage”, whether it’s addiction, gossip, grievances with others, a spirit of superiority, unforgiveness – of others, ourselves or even God – or whatever sin entangles us the most. Before we know it our containers are chock full of messy, foul smelling junk and we have no room to be useful to God or anyone else. But “If a man cleanses himself from the latter {ignoble purposes}, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” 2 Tim 2:21 NIV

Now envision the ideal container: a simple Garden Pot, made of clay. It’s characteristics are OPEN, USABLE and CLEAN. Yet it shows no pretense other than a desire to be used by it’s Master. It can be filled with beautiful things, even if it has a few cracks in it’s facade. Holes in its bottom allow the excesses of life to spill out, and actually help it grow healthy and beautiful things. Never perfect on the outside or in, this container humbly understands its capacity to produce great things, but never without the Gardener tending to its needs and ultimately sowing the seeds. It’s fragile disposition renders it dependent, but blessed with the opportunity to showcase glorious blooms for all to see.

What kind of container are you? Are you willing to be open, usable and clean for the Master to present any and every kind of gift for blessing?

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