Used Furniture

I was told the other day, “I’m getting used to you. It’s like you're a piece of furniture that’s put to good use.” I didn’t really think about that statement at that time and I shrugged it off laughingly. But as I thought about it a little more, it started to bother me. 

We all have pieces of furniture in our household these days. We all know how exciting it is to get a new couch or table and put it to good use. We fall in love with these items but then after a while - like maybe 5-7 years or so, we end up getting tired of the furniture that we have. We use our furniture so much that it becomes worn, torn, scratched or faded. Sometimes our pieces of furniture have lost its style or “spunk” and don’t “fit” in this “modern” society anymore. We make a decision to change our old furniture for new - “out with the old and in with the new.”

When I thought about this, it’s exactly like our society. New things come then they become old in a matter of months and then something new comes and the old is trashed while the new things are out in the open. I believe society influences some people (not all) to treat other people like pieces of furniture. They use and abuse them, tear and wear them out and throw them out in the trash like the others - ouch.

The Bible tells us not to love this world (1 John 2:15-17) but this doesn’t mean that if we do not love the world, we shouldn’t love the people in this world. Jesus said, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." John 13:34 (NLT)

Love each other just as HE loved us! He didn’t tell us to use one another, to abuse them, to tear them apart or to wear them out. He told us to LOVE EACH OTHER, meaning our family, friends, co-workers, strangers we encounter, etc…

Now I want you to imagine if we had a God who used us like furniture and tossed us in the trash when we become old…

I honestly don’t know if I would ever want to live in this world…

I honestly don’t know how I could picture what this world would be like if that were the case…

But the thing is, God is not like that and we should be so thankful! God goes out and buys all of the new furniture and also buys all of the OLD ones too! He fixes them all up, new and old, upholstering, repairing, patching, loving and using with care. God NEVER throws out a piece of furniture that He doesn’t like or He can’t stand because He loves them no matter how they look, no matter how much abuse, use, wear or tear they have gone through – He still LOVES them.

We are all like pieces of furniture, we are all being used, but it is God who using us. He will never abuse, wear or tear or throw us out. He will take care of every piece like a china set.

I think its time to show the world how God loves His pieces of furniture in his living room. (WOAH, that must be one big living room!)

Sandra D.