As I write this blog, I am thinking about each of you reading it and how world events have impacted us all in very real and stressful ways. I have heard from some of you that you are weary, that your faith is ebbing, and that you are needing encouragement and hope. Last week I was right there. If you get a chance read last week’s blog (Seek His Kingdom First). Today I am finding hope in recognizing that we are simply broken vessels created in God’s image made for His glory. Why? We are meant to be cracked pots! Paul describes us as people being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory:
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Paul describes us as jars of clay carrying the very Presence of God; His image bearers. But we all know that clay pots can crack. And I think that wherever we have struggled, been broken, hurt, discouraged, tempted, stressed, lost our way…. that is where we crack. And that is where the light of Christ can shine. Friends, it is in our brokenness that our light shines for Christ. People are not looking for perfect people. They are looking for people just like themselves who have gone and are going through hardship; who have a few cracks in their clay pots. Why? Because these are the people who understand and who out of their pain and healing can help us with our pain.
Cracked pots, made up of the humanity of clay, are not worthless. They are invaluable. Give me a friend who has a lot of cracks in their vessel (that’s themselves:) any day over someone who has a polished veneer where every crack in their person hood is covered up to appear perfect. Imperfect friends who know they are imperfect make the best friends. They acknowledge their weakness and God’s power and strength. Paul has this whole concept of strength and weakness nailed:
But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9-11)
This past week, I cooked a chicken dinner in my crock pot and when it was ready, I took the ceramic insert out to clean it, The underside of It was filled with the sauce that had spilled out of the ceramic pot!. No wonder the dinner was so dry! Friends, there are two kinds of vessels Paul describes- vessels of honor and dishonor. We can either be like the cracked crock pot and become bitter, dry, and unable to reflect God’s glory, or we can be a cracked vessel that in our brokenness we recognize God’s glorious power and strength. As Christians, we are made to shine through the broken cracks of our lives. So let’s remember that God uses us not in our perfection, but in our weakness.
