Earthen vessels

 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. - 2 Corinthians 4:7

This whole section is a powerful message on ministry. It is something. I need. It is a constant reminder to me about how I should view the ministry where God has placed us.

Maybe I should have included this with the thoughts from yesterday, but I was touched by the phrase 'earthen vessels.'

These earthen vessels Paul talks about here were just what they sound like. They were common every day pots and containers. There were not expensive pottery or fine bone china. They were the everyday vessels. These were the broken and chipped containers that the family uses when there is not company around.

God uses the most unlikely tools to do his work.

God doesn't tend to use the wise or the noble or the strong or the refined or the noble. He doesn't tend to use the fancy pottery or the crystal or the fine china vessels. Over the years we have collected a few crystal containers. We have a couple of china vases and such. We have some nice pottery.

But we don't use that stuff for everyday use. We don't give the grand kids crystal bowls for their cereal. When they have breakfast with us we give them the cheap plastic cartoon character bowls. They are not fancy, but the suit the purpose. They do the job. And that is what God wants out of us - to do the job. 

Sadly, in big parts of western church we don't see a whole lot of earthen vessels. We see a lot of spit and polish and fancy building and expensive suits and such. We might not like to think of ourselves and those cheap everyday vessels, but that is what God uses so that others will see excellence in the power of God in not in our own abilities.

May God allow me to be the earthen vessel He wants me to be.