by Rita Klundt

“You’re being used,” her mother said. “You’ve got to get away from him!” I agreed with her mother. It was only a talk show on my television screen, but the tears I saw weren’t produced by actors. They were real.

Have you ever felt used? I have, and it’s a terrible feeling. The word used has a negative connotation in so many situations: I bought a car yesterday. It’s used. I sure hope I can trust that used car salesman. I used to be young and energetic. My favorite sweater is sure looking used. The boss used my proposal, and then he/she took all the credit. You get the picture.

 At the root of the word abuse is the word use, so who, in their right mind, would ever want to be used? To be used by another person implies that we are expendable. They consume what they want of us and then dispose of the rest. That kind of use leaves us diminished and damaged. That kind of use, or abuse, serves no purpose at all.

Jesus knew what it was to be used. He tells us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, to do good to those who hate us, and to pray for those who spitefully use and persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Jesus isn’t instructing us to wait around for more abuse, or hang around (like the girl on the talk show) to be spitefully used. He is telling us how to respond when (not if) we are used or abused. Most of the time we need to put a little space between us and our user in order to love, bless, do good and even pray for them.

In 2 Corinthians 4:8 we see affirmation that we will be troubled (used) on every side, but not distressed. Jesus knew that we would be used, but he doesn’t want us to feel useless. He doesn’t want us to despair.

Being used can also be a good thing: “Hey! I got a great deal on a used car!” Or, “Wow! The boss used my proposal!” Notice how the emphasis in these situations is not on the word used?

Those of us who know God want to be used by Him. To be used by God serves a good purpose. To be used by God gives us purpose.

Have you noticed how folks trickle into a church building between 9 and 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning, but sometime around noon, they gather at the door, and can get a little pushy? If only they had a taste of what it feels like to be used by God, people would be standing in line or funneling into the doors of anything with a steeple.

Imagine how different our church families would be if we started rushing the exits of our church sanctuaries for a different reason…a better reason. What if the hurry wasn’t to “make it in time for the kickoff,” or to be seated at a popular restaurant? What if we heard the lyrics, as well as the music? What if we allowed that hour (or so) to make us both ready and willing to practice what was just preached? What if we were anxious to serve…to be used by God?

As you “trickle in” tomorrow morning, just think about it.