2 Corinthians 4:7-12
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Early in our marriage, Greg’s mother gave us a “quilt” that Greg’s grandmother had made. Actually, I think it is probably an old quilt that was recovered with this red “bandana-like” material and “string tied”. This means the coverlet is not actually “quilted”… but every few inches, a piece of yarn was tacked through the material and tied into a strong knot to hold the fabric –and the quilting inside – in place. There is nothing especially pretty about this quilt. But over the years, it has kept us warm, padded our seat at countless ballgames, and served us well. The fabric is almost threadbare around the edges…still, it provides warmth and comfort. Now our little ones use the quilt…for warmth…as a “pallet” on the floor…and even once as a “fort” when it was draped over the playpen!
Oh, the places this quilt has been…the things it has done with us! This blanket holds a lot of “history”…picnics, ballgames, cookouts, snowy nights, childhood fun, and so much more! You cannot tell all of this just by looking at it…the naked eye cannot see the love and comfort that has emanated from the folds of this inanimate object. Considering that this quilt belonged to Greg’s family before I came on the scene, it is safe to say that this roughly 36-square-feet of blanketing has been a source of contentment and coziness for well more than 40 years!
The blanket itself is not extraordinary. What is truly worth noting is how it has served our family…and how we have repeatedly turned to this quilt in countless situations. And this is where my mind went when I read these verses from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. We are the vessel…the unadorned clay pot or the plain and simple quilt. Without God, our purposes – and their effects – are minimal, at best. The “beat-down” of life in general - and the devil specifically – should by all rights have done us in long ago. But we keep on going. We have amazing strength because of God’s power.
For a lot of us, plenty of people know the troubles we’ve seen… but not how we survived them - or more importantly, WHO got us through these trials. A few of us have understood that the “wear and tear” of our life has made us who we are in Christ…and we are supposed to share that with others in the same boat! Some of us get it that we got this far because of Jesus…and others need to know that they can do the same thing! We understand that we are plain, ordinary, everyday people through whom God has done extraordinary things. Oh, I don’t mean that He has necessarily used us to cure a world-wide plague or even to become the next big thing (whatever that is!)...but God has used us, just the same.
God has worked in and through you in countless instances that could be shared with others to help them in their journey. Just like an old clay pot or a well-used quilt, you may be a little rough around the edges…or you may appear to be so ordinary that others seem to walk right past you. But you are incredibly unique - and important - and so capable of sharing God’s love and compassion with others. It’s what He’s calling us to do all throughout the scriptures…and it’s time we started paying attention.
Will you ask God to show you how and where you can share His power at work in you with others? Will you find your purpose as a Christian disciple and see where you are to serve as His vessel? Who needs the warmth and comfort of your blanket of experiences…and kindheartedness? God is giving you His best – even when you are at your worst. Are you ready to “raise a corner of the quilt” and invite others to share in His love and power? Shouldn’t you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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