“But we have this treasure in jars of clay.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7a
Jars of clay
Not easy being made from the earth. In fact, most days it is frustrating. Being frail isn’t enjoyable. Every day seems to bring a new ache or pain as we get older. The illnesses seem to be more frequent. The cupboards hold more prescriptions. The hearing declines, the eyes weaken and our memory begins to leave us. The metabolism slows and time goes quicker. And this is just the physical realm. We are also reminded of our frailty by our actions. We battle with anger. We struggle with impatience. We can’t tame our tongues. It is difficult to control our eyes (even righteous Job had to make a covenant with his). It would be tempting to stay in bed but even there we are subject to atrophy. We are dust, and to dust we will return. The jar of clay will become shards. “In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut…before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel is broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it” (Ecc. 12:3-4,6-7). But!
We have this treasure
God has not only made man from the earth, He has also chosen men to be His vessels to carry His Gospel. In these fragile and frail bodies, we have the light of the Gospel. The privilege was not given to angels, but to you and I. But!! The contrast couldn’t be greater. The Gospel of truth and grace carried in bodies of sufferings and infirmities. Mortal bodies carrying an eternal Truth. Dying bodies carrying life giving news. Our bodies may be the same, but the Gospel has given us a new heart. Stone has become flesh. We have a new spirit. We have The Spirit. We have a responsibility. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and then He appeared…” (1 Cor. 15:3-5a). God “put on” a jar of clay. The jar was broken on the cross. But like Gideon’s victory, when the jar was broken the light inside was released. The breaking was necessary for the victory over darkness. Jesus was victorious over death. His victory “spoils” have been entrusted to us. What a treasure; to share!
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” The complete verse tells us why. We are fragile, God is all powerful. The Gospel is not dependent on our strength, our intelligence, our looks or our eloquence. Our weaknesses pose no barrier to the purposes of God. The power belongs to God and the Glory as well. Like Paul, we are to deliver as of first importance what we received. We are jars of clay carrying a treasure, surrounded by jars of clay carrying death. It’s not easy being made from earth. Being frail isn’t enjoyable. Let’s share the Treasure. God placed it in jars of clay not for safekeeping but for sharing. Until we return to the earth let’s share the Hope. God’s surpassing power can turn death into Treasure. Sort of puts our infirmities in perspective. What a privilege it is being a jar of clay carrying such a Treasure.
“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9