Are you a vessel of honor in your words, works, and walk with the Lord? Tonight, many people will gather by seashores all across America to watch decorated boats usher in the Christmas season. Florida has more than 85 boat parades planned. If you’ve witnessed one, you’ll never forget it. When my family gathers to watch the small boat parade in the sound at Topsail, it’s easy to get in the spirit of the season with lights gleaming and holiday sounds coming from the decorated vessels.
Remembering seasons past when boats of all sizes glided past us on the water and reading a verse from 2 Timothy 2: 20-21 stirred this story. Some boats were huge, others looked like they were part of a military fleet, some gleamed with newness, several were small in size with decorations that demanded attention, some were scantily decked out with a few lights and looked like they had been around for a long time. No matter what type of vessel, its age, or what its exterior consists of, there was no way of knowing what was going on inside the boats. Some could have been carrying family members , others could have been hollow inside with no comfortable place to rest from the elements, some could have been carrying cargo no one would have imagined, others could have been entertaining passengers in style. Yet, people watching the vessels parade through the waters could not see inside to know what was taking place.
Similarly, we too could hide our cargo and no one would know what is churning inside us…for a while. Hiding things inside that are not pleasing to our Father can be destructive. We must stay pruned, purged, and prayed up to be a vessel of honor. Paul told Timothy that we must remove what is dishonorable inside like corrupt influences, false gods and teachings, and immoral behavior. He does not expect us to be perfect but wants us to stay connected to Him and clean out anything inside that can make us sink in sin. God will give us strength to let it go. Then, we can be a vessel of honor, useful and prepared to sail for our Savior.
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2: 20-21
As we pack up Thanksgiving treasures and put personal touches on Christmas decorating, wouldn’t it be wonderful if every vessel (child of God) gave the Lord a gift of being cleaned out inside with changed cargoes and songs to sing in perfect harmony…”Good Christian men rejoice, with heart and soul and voice; Now ye need not fear the grave; Peace! Peace! Jesus Christ was born to save. .. This gift of God we’ll cherish well, that ever joy our hearts shall tell…How great our joy!”
Becoming a vessel of honor is a great gift we can give God, our family, and ourselves. Giving gifts of time with the Lord and loved ones, being willing to suffer (Ephesians 3:13, being kind – showing respect – and putting others first, (Romans 12:10), checking our motives (especially in the sacred season of Christmas, (James 2:2-4), and asking Him to make use of our past sins to teach us lessons to help us and help others. (Romans 8:28)
Being a vessel of honor may not bring attention, rewards, or recognition here for our efforts to be pruned and prepared to meet sweet Jesus at any given moment; yet, we parade humbly and happily with cleaned out hearts, peace, joy, love, respect, and satisfied minds inside our vessels. What better gift can we give ourselves and our Savior this Christmas? “For such a time as this”, let’s get cleaned out and shine on for Jesus until He comes or His Father calls us Home.
A simple song, A Nativity Prayer, in an old hymnal seems exactly what Jesus, His Father God, and Helper, Holy Spirit would want to end this story and be sung in every vessel’s heart at Christmas parades all over His creation this year: “O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in; Be born in us today.” Amen.