Cracked Pots

“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us” (II Corinthians 4:7).

How is it that a man like Simon Peter, rough, tough, uncultured, unsophisticated, often brash and outspoken–a double-minded man who outspokenly promised loyalty with great certainty and conviction, but couldn’t withstand the questioning of a servant girl and resorted to curses to deny his Lord–How is it that a man like Peter, steeped in Judaism’s customs, became an evangelist to the  Gentile world?  How is it that a double-minded man like Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost and proclaimed a glorious message of salvation through Jesus, the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah?  How is it that a man like Peter became a man whose very shadow could pass over the sick, and they would be healed?

How is it that an immature young man like John could become so angry at the Samaritan’s denial of Jesus’ request to spend the night in their village, that he would ask the Lord for permission to call down fire on the Samaritan village and consume them?  How could such a fiery young man later become the apostle of love?

How is it that the Samaritan Woman of ill repute, having engaged in immorality repeatedly could be confronted by the living water?  How is it that she would be given an opportunity to believe, and then seize it?  How is it that that same woman with a sinful past would become a flaming evangel of truth to her people, inviting them to come and taste of the water of life?

How is it that Saul, the bloodthirsty persecutor of the church, could become Paul, the tender-hearted pastor?

How is it that you and I, once aliens and strangers from God, could be brought near to participate in this Great Salvation?

God loves us.  He wants to save us, to cleanse us, to fill us with Himself, and to invest His grace in our lives.  He wants to transform our character.

Much of that marvelous transformation of character is begun in the moment of the new birth. Transformation is deepened and advanced through our full surrender, death to self and infilling with the sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit.  But there is ongoing transformation of character that must take a lifetime.  

Someone has said that “God never does for us in a process of time what He has designed to do is a crisis of a moment.”  The converse is equally true.  “God never does in a crisis of the new birth or entire sanctification what he has designed to do in a process of growth in grace.”

The Bible says, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us” (II Corinthians 4:7).  Paul metaphorically describes an inexpensive piece of clay pottery, perhaps a lamp in which someone might hide treasure.  We have this glorious treasure of the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God.”  But our container is quite inferior.  A common, ordinary, fragile clay vessel.

What does this clay pot represent to Paul?  Our personality.  Paul is saying that we are frail human beings, filled with faults and blunders.  Frank Carver writes: “But the weakness of man only serves to magnify the message.  It is the message that possesses the value.  The lowliness of the human vessel demands and proves that the excellency (‘surpassing greatness’) of the power belongs to God ‘and does not proceed from us’” (in Beacon Bible Commentary on II Cor., p. 536).

God longs to develop personal traits of Christian character within the clay pots that are our lives, so that we may grow up into the fullness of the image of Christ

Some time ago, I read a parable of a water bearer in India. The author is unknown. The water bearer had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck.  One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water in his master’s house.  Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.  But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.  “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer.  “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house.  Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.  But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?  That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.  I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table.  Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Each of us has our own unique strengths and weaknesses, but in some area, we are all cracked pots.  But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father’s table.  In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste.

So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don’t fear your flaws.  Trust Him.  Allow Him to take advantage of your strengths and weaknesses, transform you by His grace, and you can help to make the path beautiful. 

“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us” (II Corinthians 4:7). 

Don’t allow yourself to become frustrated because you are not what you want to be.  Thank God that you are not what you used to be.  Then continue to grow up into the fullness of the image of Christ.  Follow Peter’s exhortation to the church,

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!  Amen” (II Peter 3:18).