Get Out of the Litter Box

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

2 Timothy 2:20-21

Imagine you go over to a friend's house for dinner. When you walk through the front door the aroma of fried chicken and mashed potatoes and fresh bread and green beans greats you. The food is attractively displayed on the table. Your host begins putting out the silverware. As you take your seat you hear them rummaging through the kitchen drawers looking for their slotted serving spoon for the green beans. In a moment you hear them exclaim "Who was using the slotted spoon to scoop the cat litter again!?" And you watch in horror as they walk over to the litter box, dig out a slotted spoon and plop it into the bowl of green beans on the table. What do you do?

Hopefully, you'll never find yourself in a scenario quite so disgusting as that., but I do fear that we often unwittingly do the equivalent to God. We use our mouth to curse and gossip and slander and then think it won't bother Him when we use the same mouth to sing His praise?! We set our heart on money and the approval of men and illicit sex and then offer that heart up to Him and we think He doesn't notice?! We use our hands to hurt others, to take us to the darkest parts of the internet and social media, and to sexually touch those we have no right to touch and then try to put the same hands to the plow in His service?! We do all this and more and somehow it never occurs to us that He might not be pleased with our offering?!

Scripture points out to us in 2 Timothy 2 that there are certain articles in any home that have been set aside for special use. These articles are not used for common purposes but are kept separate and clean to be used only for their special purpose. And that is what Christians ought to be like. We must cleanse ourselves from iniquity and keep ourselves separate from it if we are to be "holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."

Consider what you are offering up to God. As 2 Corinthians 6:17 says, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” Get out of the litter box and keep yourself separate and holy to the Lord.