Just a Vessel

Charles Spurgeon once said, “Be nothing; be nobody, and trust Him. Do not believe in yourself, but believe in Jesus. Have as many good works as you can cram into your life, but never tell anybody about them or think anything of them.”

This quote really hit me. If we serve for thanks, recognition, self-gratification, or even to “feel righteous”, our works are simply wood, hay, and stubble (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). A good deed done with wrong motives is not a righteous act.

It can be difficult to do good deeds quietly, but we have strong motivation to do so. For starters, it’s a command from Christ Himself (Matthew 6:1-4). Second, a truly righteous deed is done only with help from the Holy Spirit. In and of ourselves, we commit no good thing.

Consider the following passage :

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the Vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:4-5

We bear fruit because of Who we are connected too. We are not the water that flows through or the wind that drives, we are just the vessels.

It is no small thing to be a vessel. Lovingly fitted for our good works, handcrafted by the Father, guided by the Spirit, (Ephesians 2:10) we have much to be thankful for. But with each good deed we seek to accomplish, may we look to the Vine with our thanks and admiration. He should get all the praise – we are just the vessels.

On the flip side, sometimes we tend to talk up those who have given to us. We shout accolades and sing their praises. Sometimes we count on people coming through for us so much that we forget it’s not them, it’s Christ. They’re just the vessels.

Sure, we need to be thankful to those whom God uses to help us through life. There’s certainly a time and place for words of gratitude! But at the end of the day, whether we’re thanking or working, may we remember to thank and pursue God first. The more He flows through us, the better vessels we will be.

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:8-11

© Grace Baeten 2021