If I think some information is important I will use my highlighter to make that part of my paper stand out.

2 Timothy 2:1-26

Reference:  v.20  In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. (NIV Bible)

Explore:  I love object lessons.  This is where you take a common object and connect it into a teaching about God.  My most recent object lesson was a highlighter .  This is a type of pen with fluorescent ink that draws attention to the particular section of a document.  If I think some information is important I will use my highlighter to make that part of my paper stand out.  When God looks through creation He notices all people.  He died for all people and therefore we're all important to Him.  It's like He has gone around and highlighted each one of us.  If you were in the same room as me I would come over to you and put some highlighter ink on your hand.  God has highlighted you; you are important to Him.  What starts off by being a simple explanation of a stationery item ends up being a lesson about how much God loves all people.

Application:  Jesus was not adverse to an object lesson and it seems that neither was Paul.  He uses some everyday items in a house to explain that we should cleanse ourselves from all the filth that can come into our lives.  God desires our lives to be like gold and silver rather than dirty and insignificant.  And that means that all the simple things in our lives are significant.  The way we interact with a stranger at the shops, the way we talk about our colleagues behind their backs, the way we act around our family in the home; all these things are opportunities for us to be noble and holy and to be used well by our Master.

Prayer:  Lord, all the actions in our lives are opportunities to reflect Your love and grace.  May we be diligent to proclaim your name, even in the small things.  Amen.

Where do you find you struggle the most to be diligent in living for God?