User

We normally reserve the ‘user’ word for drug addicts, and in a derogatory way. It suggests a negative thing where someone is operating out of control, and in their own interests. After all, we are told that a drugs user will do anything to get the money for their next fix. There are well documented extreme cases of murder and prostitution being done by users to enable the next fix of the thing needed most. A sad state of affairs. Jesus was ‘used’ too, and there is a lesson for us here in this passage: “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Luke 8:45-47.

This woman used Jesus, but in a good way. She knew from reputation, that He might be her last and only hope. She was willing to take the chance, at the expense of her own reputation, so she acted. It might have gone wrong, but she was at the end of her rope, and took the biggest risk of her life, and yes, it paid off. She got what she wanted most in her life. She was a user, and was healed!

Thinking about it, we all get used in some way, and at some time, and sometimes for good, even if we don’t think of it that way. A baby ‘uses’ his/her mother for food and security, and the mother doesn’t mind. In fact she loves being used! As your family grows, your teenage kids will ‘use’ parents to ferry them around, do their laundry, clean their rooms, defend them before school teachers, and other parents, and these parents don’t mind being ‘used’. They love it. When we marry the person of our dreams, and are ‘used’ to do and get what our loved one wants, we do it willingly, and yes, we love it! So, being ‘used’ can be a good thing and also a very bad thing, and both will move our thoughts and actions to polar extremes. We will either end up loved/loving, or hated/hating. There seems to be no middle ground when you open yourself up to using someone, or being used.

However, in my opinion only, the worst kind of being ‘used’ is when you are convinced that you are doing good, and with the right motives, only to discover that you were being ‘used’ a bit like a drug addict uses someone to get what they want, and you are only a part of the process. In general, these ‘users’ do not see themselves as such, but only doing what they see as necessary to achieve their goal, whether it be drugs, or anything else for that matter.

This all raises an important question (I like to leave you with a question), does the end always/sometimes/never justify the means? Answers by ‘using’ the comments box (that’s another good use).