On the shelf.
How many times have you come home from the grocery store with a new bottle of olive oil only to find an unopened one in your pantry? Or maybe two? Or perhaps it was a book you bought—and found the same one already on your bookshelf. We’ve all done it. We seek to fill a need only to realize that what we thought we NEEDED, we already had. Right there, within reach—but set aside.
In the story of the wedding in Cana, as told in John 2, Jesus directed the servants to fill the water pots with plain water, and they filled them to the brim. That was in verse 7. Then in verse 8, it says that Jesus instructed them, “Draw out NOW.”
I wonder: how much time passed between verse 7 and verse 8? At what precise moment did the water turn into wine. Was it while the pots of water simply sat there, waiting? Was it when the water was poured out? … or when it touched the governor’s lips? We don’t know. All we know is that the miracle happened because the vessels were filled—and USED. If the servants had left the water pots sitting there full of water, untouched—and unemptied—there would have been no “Miracle at Cana.”
We read another story in 2 Kings 4 about the miracle of the destitute widow. At Elisha’s direction, she and her sons borrowed vessels from as many neighbors as they could. Then, she shut her door, and poured new, fresh oil from her near-empty bottle into those vessels that they had collected.
Elisha instructed her in verse 4, “And … thou shalt … set aside that which is full.” At first, that’s all the prophet told her to do. What if the story ended there? What if she just decided to keep the oil for herself and her sons? It’s easy to see—the blessing would’ve been incomplete. If she had simply hoarded the oil, she and her boys never would’ve benefited from the proceeds of the miracle.
It’s clear. When God fills a vessel—He fills it to be USED.
While on the top of Sinai, the LORD told Moses, “Let the people make me a sanctuary … that I may dwell among them.” God gave the command, but He also supplied all the plans and blueprints for every piece of this new Tabernacle—and He gave them to Moses. What an exciting project!
But then, God told Moses, “I have singled out BEZALEEL … I’ve filled him with the Spirit of God—with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry.” (Exodus 31:2-3 CJB) Bezaleel, not Moses, was handpicked by the Almighty to oversee the crew that would construct the Tabernacle and all its furnishings. Instead of taking someone from inside the leadership team, God chose, filled, and set apart a guy—apparently from out of the rank and file—to accomplish this enormous task.
What if Moses had balked and said, “Wait a minute! I’m the leader here! I’m the one with the plans! I’ll assign this job to whomever I choose!” What if Moses had overlooked Bezaleel—with all his God-given talents—only to assign the task of making the ark of the covenant, the brazen laver, the golden candlestick, and everything else … to someone else? Or to do it himself? What a WASTE of Bezaleel’s creative genius and potential.
In every household, there are different kinds of vessels used for various purposes. Likewise, it is so in the house of God. But, as Paul declares in 2 Timothy, they that “follow righteousness” shall be “a vessel for honor, sanctified [SET APART for a special purpose and], USEFUL to the Master, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21 AMP). In other words, they will be a vessel cleansed, chosen, consecrated, and capable of good USE.
“Set apart” means holy. “Ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you (set you apart) from other people, that ye should be mine.” (Leviticus 20:26 KJV)
But consider this: there are vessels set APART and some that are just set ASIDE.
How many VESSELS among us, in the household of God, are already chosen and set apart? Perfectly capable, prepared, and fit for the Master’s use? Filled to the brim with practical knowledge, experience and testimonies, humor and history, counsel and wisdom—set apart … and yet set aside. Unneeded, unnoticed and unused?
Perhaps there are mature, Spirit-filled people, quiet-natured and unassuming, within the church family—fully capable to help in some aspect of church ministry—but they have never been asked to serve or they have never offered. Retired people—pastors, missionaries, ministers, professionals, journeymen, grandmas and grandpas—seasoned saints of all kinds? Filled, but forgotten.
Maybe there are young people, anxious to help but lacking experience. Like jars waiting to be filled and wishing to find their place, they sit languishing on the “shelves” of our pews.
We have no biblical record that Bezaleel came forward and willingly volunteered for the job he was given—and I’m guessing his gifts weren’t acquired through on-the-job training either. It’s clear that God gave him the talents FIRST, but Bezaleel probably worked long and hard at perfecting his many skills BEFORE he was assigned the “Tabernacle Project.”
If you’re in leadership and shopping for talent, before you go looking OUTSIDE, perhaps first look for what you need IN the “house.” What commodities do you feel you need that are already sitting on your proverbial shelf?
If you’re the one on the shelf—feeling overlooked, alone, and set aside—look for all the ways you DO fit in, CAN contribute, COULD be needed, and ARE loved. The more you look for them, the more you’ll see. Be ready. Continue to work to sharpen your skills. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)
It’s never too late to become indispensable. You may need to just “be still and know” for a while … or you may need to speak up. Eventually, “a person’s gift opens doors for him and brings him before the great.” (Proverbs 18:26 CSB)
“KNOW that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for HIMSELF; the LORD hears when I call to him. (Psalm 4:3 NIV)
Prayer: Dear God, You never waste anointing. The fact that You have prepared and filled my vessel—and set me apart—is in ITSELF evidence that You intend to use me … for YOUR glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
