Somewhere I ran across this quip by a lady named Greta K. Nagel:
“You can still drink from a chipped cup.” Her quote reminds us usefulness is
not impaired by imperfection. Most of us have drunk from a chipped cup! Nagel’s
quote went on to say, “There are many reasons God shouldn’t call you into His
service ... But don’t worry, you’re in good company.” Her point was that some
of the greatest people God used in Biblical history to accomplish His plans and
purposes had serious moral and spiritual chips and cracks in their character,
at least on occasion. A partial listing includes Moses who couldn’t talk right
(Exodus 4:10) and killed a man (Exodus 2:12-13); David who had an affair (2
Samuel chapters 11-12); Elijah who suffered burn-out (1 Kings 19); Samson
who had long hair and multiple chips and cracks in his character (see Judges
13-16); Noah who once got drunk resulting in something really bad (Genesis
9:21ff); Peter who cursed and swore three times he didn’t know Jesus even as
Jesus suffered painful beatings and humiliating treatment by those
orchestrating His death on a cross (Matthew 27: 66-54); Timothy who suffered
from ulcers or some other kind of stomach-related problems and apparently
tended to be a little shy and timid (see 1 Timothy 5:23 * 2 Timothy 1:6-8). And
last but not least there was Saul turned Paul who, because of His
efforts to persecute Christians out of existence before his own conversion to
Christ, was the great persecutor of Jesus and His church (Acts 9:1ff). Even a
surface reading of the Bible makes clear that over the centuries of time
covered in the Bible, Christ was the only flawless, sinless individual who ever
showed up! There were no chips or cracks in His moral or spiritual character.
He was the sinless, peerless, pure and holy Son of God, Jesus Christ (2
Corinthians 5:21 * Hebrews 4:15 * 1 Peter 2:21; 3:18). Regarding
perfection, Jesus is truly in a class all by Himself!
God used imperfect people in the past, and He can use you in the
present. He’s not expecting that you won’t have a chip or two in your cup. But
be careful – none of what has been written here is to say He does not have some
criteria and does not make some demands if you want Him to use your life to
bring glory to Himself and good to the church and to the world. Words from the
apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:19-21 tell us the kind of traits God expects on
anyone’s spiritual resume if he / she desires and expects God to
use them – “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having
this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the
name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ 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.” A careful study of the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy makes clear God
was calling Timothy to place Himself at God’s disposal and to serious
responsibilities, in spite of apparent limitations mentioned earlier in this
little article. The people God is willing to use don’t have to be flawless, but
they are required to be faithful. They must maintain a serious commitment to
“depart from iniquity” – be a “vessel [instrument] for honor”, be “sanctified”
(that is set apart) in order to be “useful for the Master, prepared for every
good work.” Christ will serve His living water in a chipped cup. What He won’t
do is serve His bread on a dirty plate. The issue is not will God use you – He
clearly is. The issue is how willing are you to be used by God. Are you a
used Christian? Think about it.
Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN
