Set apart - fit for any good work.

21So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.
Taken from the book of II Timothy, the Bible.

When I began writing this post, I automatically went and italicised the words that represented the result and the words that were positive. Then I realised that this is how we sometimes read the Scriptures.

We want a good result and make the "honorable and noble" "consecrated and profitable" and "fit for any good work" stand out and take it to heart that that is how we are.

We tend to miss out what it takes to bring about the result. Even at work. We magnify the result and minimise the actual work or the path it took to bring about the result.

Here it says, whoever cleanses himself, separates himself from things that are ignoble, unclean, corrupting and contaminating influences.....will result in a vessel set apart for use by the Master, our Creator.

Phew! How hard it is ...I find myself doing things that I do not wish to do. I am unable to do things that I know I need to do.

Gossiping, slander, looking down on and shunning co-workers and bosses is not what we are called to do. We are to stay away from gossip, from murmuring against our superiors and from expressing contamination.

We are not to complain if we have to stay late to meet a deadline.
We are to help someone who is in need.
We are to love our neighbor.
We are set apart.
And the Master will use us for HIS GOOD WORK.
Wherever we are.

What a privilege to be chosen by the Creator of this universe.
Moreover He honors us. He loved us first.

For all those who work to spread His love and His Gospel, you are noble and set apart.

That means all of us. From a pastor, manager, director, business owner, carpenter, father, wife, son, teacher, doctor, nurse, shopkeeper, cook, trainee, customer executive, lawyer, politician, actor, musician, or just a no-one in your eyes........you are chosen. You are set apart. And you are a vessel of honor. Make yourself available for use by our Master.

After all the One who created us will know what we do best.