The Parable of the Cup

In our home we have a cabinet full of coffee cups. They are all different sizes and colors. One of them has become my favorite. It is not the biggest one in the cabinet. And to be honest it is not the prettiest either. In fact, the color is rather ugly. On the outside it looks brand new. Almost like it has never been used. In fact, if it were to be set on a shelf of honor and a note put by it that said, “This cup has never been used and is in mint condition.” I would have no reason to question such a letter.

Or let’s say that the note said that this cup was good for nothing and was never desired by nor used at the table of the owner I would find little reason to question such a note as that. After all, the cup is not the prettiest in the house. Nor does this cup hold the most coffee. I would have no reason to doubt that letter nor would I have any inclination or desire to grab that cup to use it as my own.

So why is this cup one of my absolute favorites? Well, there is a story to be told to shed some light on my answer. That cup belonged to my father-in-law, Gary. Gary was one of the kindest, gentlest and most loving men I have ever known. He loved his family and honored God with all of his heart. He loved to laugh but never at the expense of anyone else and he always did things that made my mother-in-law feel like the most treasured person in the world. He was truly a man to admire.

Some time ago Gary was diagnosed with a disease that attacks the muscles and inevitably ends in death within two years of diagnosis. He was no exception even though we prayed for things to be different. For the first year he did amazingly well. There was a part of all of us that thought he might be the exception. After all, if anyone deserved to be the exception it would be him. Then after a year there was not a day that went by that did not bring with it some ability that he was now unable to do on his own. A short time later Gary went on to be with Jesus and his last words mouthed on his hospital bed were to his wife and daughters just moments before his passing when he said with no volume, “I love you”. What always amazed me was that when he awoke out of unconsciousness for those last moments he looked straight at them without having to scan the room to find their locations. It was as if he knew somehow where each of them stood in that room; despite the fact that the room was full of loved ones. He looked right towards them regardless of the fact that his daughters and wife stood in different locations. It was as though Jesus let him say a final good-bye just to them.

So what makes Gary’s cup so special? Well, it is because even though on the outside it looks unused the inside tells of a different story. When you look on the inside you see marks and scratches from hours spent stirring the coffee that this cup has held.

Let me encourage you for a moment. I think that often times the devil would love to have you believe that God is not active in your life. He says, “Look at your finances or your health and tell me that God cares about you.” He implies that if God truly loved you, you would not be going through the trial that you are. If he cared for you, would you really be so lonely? But take a lesson from this cup. When the devil tries to convince you of such things look on the inside and see the markings of God etched deep within your soul. Look for the evidence of the countless hours He has spent stirring up the gifts within you. Look at the stains of having been a person that has been filled to the brim with his precious Holy Spirit. And think upon the scriptures found in 3 John verse two which states, “I pray that you be in good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” God’s greatest marks are found there deep within your soul. His fingerprints are found within your heart. And having done a work there in the life of his disciple the evidence then flows outward.

New on the outside but used on the inside