Gò0dNews for Everyone
The Useful Disciple
A
by Eddie Turner
s Christians, we are hated because of who God is.
If you’ve ever tried to blaze your own trail through
As bold as this statement sounds, it should come
the woods, you likely found your clothes covered in twigs,
as no surprise. After all, Jesus assured us that we
thorns, and dirt. You may have even come out with a few
would be. He also told us that this is a good thing. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute
bloody scratches on your arms or legs. If a friend or a neighbor saw you after your trek in the forest, they could
you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of
easily point out what you had been doing. In the same way,
me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in
our association with questionable behavior and worldly
heaven…” (Matthew 5:11-12).
matters affects how others see us. Depending on our life
More and more often, however, God is hated because of who we are. This happens when we associate Him with things He’s not associated with—things like politics. Instead of being seen as mere Christians, we’re left-wing or rightwing Christians who hate each other and slander our country’s leaders. Instead of distancing ourselves from these labels, we defend them, often heatedly. And, the more insistent we become in retaining our association with worldly matters, the less we meet what may be the most important expectation God has for His children. “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for
choices, we can either be seen as having no blemishes or
honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the
covered in the filth that we often detect on those who make
house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).
little effort to safeguard their character.
As followers of Jesus, we are bearers of the gospel. This
While you and I can’t separate ourselves from the
role belongs to each one of us, and there are countless ways
physical world, we can certainly become separate from
for us to perform it. Some of us are writers, some pastors,
its cultures of sexuality, hostile politics, gossip, and hate
and many of us are called to simply share it among the
speech. In the verse I’ll leave you with, Scripture affirms
people within our family or social circles. Accomplishing
what this world has become and stresses the importance
God’s will, however, is dependent upon how useful we are
that we take great strides toward becoming drastically
to Him. A person who is known for his or her foul mouth,
different than those around us who blend in. There should
for example, may not be useful at all due to their greater
be nothing we aren’t willing to let go of in order to be useful
potential to dishonor God than glorify Him. Everything we
and pleasing to God.
do, say, and fill our minds with can impact our usefulness
“—prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent,
as disciples.
children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked
24 // March 2022
and perverse generation…” (Philippians 2:15).
