The Alpha of Honour

UV 3053/10000 The Alpha of Honour
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work
2 Timothy 2 v 21
We honour God when we purge ourselves by His grace of all youthful lusts, of all that contaminates the pure spirit and character of man. When we do so, we become vessels of honour to carry the message of the Lord effectively to the rest of humanity. When we honour God in this manner, He honours us. The Lord will give us wisdom, insight and understanding in all things so that we are not ensnared by the enemy. We are constantly being refined and polished like gold and silver to remove the dross or impurities in us. The precious or valuable has to be separated from the base or evil. It might involve the pain and anguish of trials, troubles and tribulations. The words of the Lord also burns in our hearts and minds to purify us from within.

In this manner, we are prepared to do every type of good works that glorify the name of the Lord. We do not mix with the affairs of the world even as soldiers keep away from civilian matters to focus on their duties. We are to avoid arguments, quarrels and conflicts that arise due to the clash of egos. We are to pursue righteousness, faith, peace and love. We should aim to be approved workers of the Lord, skilled in teaching the word accurately. We should remember teachers of the word are judged more strictly and conduct ourselves accordingly. We are to be patient and gentle with those who oppose or criticise us.

A vessel so sanctified and refined is a vessel of honour. We are to remain humble as we are only the container- the content is provided by the Lord. The honour is meant for the Lord who alone deserves praise, glory and worship. We are only shining in His reflected glory. But, the Lord being pleased with us will endorse us by calling us, “ My good and faithful servants.” In the parable of talents, the faithful servant who multiplied the five talents given to him was most honoured as he used the influence of his character, the influence of his communication, the influence of his contacts, the influence of his competencies, the influence of his conduct for the kingdom of God. The Lord honours us by multiplying these manifold and in many ways.