A Vessel unto Honor

A certain man was infected with Covid-19 and needed someone to take  him to the hospital. He asked his relatives for help, but the response was: “The car is downstairs, come and get it yourself.” Another one was discharged from the hospital, eagerly wanting to see his children again. But when he arrived at his apartment building, the security guard said: “Sir, your children have booked a hotel room for you. Please stay there for now.”

When people’s own lives are at risk, the selfishness they show can make us shiver. In the face of a crisis like a global pandemic, even family ties are fragile and easily broken. Who doesn’t care for his own life? To preserve one’s own life, even his closest loved ones can be abandoned. Is this a reasonable principle, or the tragedy of humanity?

Before long, face masks have become a necessity, and sanitizers have become rare goods. However, there is one thing to remember: face masks not only prevent the outward filth from coming in, but also prevent the filth within man from going out. Sanitizers can only kill the virus outside of man, but not the virus inside of man. The filthiest of all is the heart of man; the most corrupt of all is our very self. Therefore, as we sanitize our physical body, let us not forget to sanitize our heart.

Can a noble man save himself? Can a government official escape the pestilence?  Facing natural and man-made disasters, everyone is equal—whether noble or lowly, wealthy or poor. One may be the richest man on earth, but it is meaningless in the face of death. When everyone is in danger, who still cares for high positions? When one’s life is at stake, who still cares for material riches? What is precious? What is valuable? These are questions we should reconsider.

The Bible says: “If therefore anyone cleanses himself from these, he will be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, useful to the master, prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21).

The Lord Jesus is the real Master. Are you willing to be His vessel unto honor? Repent to Him, for only by this can we be thoroughly sanitized and cleansed. Confess to Him, for only by this can we clean out all the garbage within our being. Allow Him to come in, for only by this can we truly cleanse ourselves.

      Let us pray: “O Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner. I repent to You. Please forgive me. O Lord, please come into me to be my life. From now on, make me   a vessel unto honor to be filled with You and express You.”