For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake. For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, always carrying around in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For we who are living are always being handed over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us but life in you.
I wonder, have you ever felt tired and frustrated, like you just wanted to give up? Maybe you’ve been working really hard at something, and no one seems to appreciate the time and energy you’ve put in. And then, instead of saying thank you, they point out the tiny missteps you’ve made, or they complain about the way you did things. Well, if that sounds like something you are going through, you’ve got good company because the apostle Paul was going through the same thing when he was teaching and preaching and trying to help the church in Corinth.
After his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul dedicated his life to sharing the good news of Jesus with the world, but no matter what he said or did, the people of Corinth always questioned him. They questioned his authority and his salary, and they even questioned his stature! But over and over again, Paul quietly defended his choices while tirelessly continuing to teach about Jesus. When people would put him down and tell him that he was not much of an apostle, Paul would say, “That’s okay because it’s not about me, I am simply a clay pot, Jesus is the one that matters!” And it’s later in the book of Philippians that Paul tells us to rejoice in all circumstances, saying, “Rejoice always, again I say rejoice.” Paul knew that joy never depends on the circumstances or the people around us. On the contrary, joy comes from having faith within. Paul‘s confidence didn’t depend on the praise of the people from Corinth or even on his external success.
As we heard in today’s scripture, each time Paul was criticized for getting in trouble or being confused, Paul remembers, “Yes! I am knocked down but not knocked out. I am harassed but never abandoned. The outside of me might not be pretty, but it’s what is inside of this clay pot that never abandons me. For God is not only with me but with all of us!”
Folks, our church is filled with ordinary everyday clay pots, clay pots who sometimes may feel easily overlooked or overwhelmed, slighted or let down, but the truth is God always finds a way to use everyday ordinary things, always making them into something extraordinary. And it’s because of every one of the ordinary clay pots here in Oldtown that our church is what it is!
Now this might sound crazy, and it might sound like it goes against what we just read in scripture, but sometimes I believe the difference between ordinary things and extraordinary things, is us and the way that we look at the world around us!
When we look at ordinary things through the eyes of joy, hope, wonder, possibility, and faith, we see God in those ordinary things. And it’s in times like those that ordinary things truly do become extraordinary before our very eyes!
Now, don’t get me wrong, I heard the scripture this morning when it said, “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.“ So let me be clear: it is not us that makes the ordinary things extraordinary, but it is our faith that unlocks the latch and swings open the window! And it is our eyes of faith that allow us to experience the hope, joy, wonder, and possibility that those ordinary things hold within them!
My friends, every day, we can make choices, and those choices dictate not only what we say and what we do but also where we go and what we eat. Who we love and what we do to help others. How we understand the world around us and how we decide to live out our faith. And those choices also dictate how we see the world around us. Do we see glimpses of grace or overwhelming struggle? Do we focus on the problems we face, or do we celebrate the baby steps we take forward? Do we cower in fear over what could happen, or are we brave and bold, standing strong on the firm foundations of our faith? Do we see the world around us as broken and in need of fixing, or does the beauty of God’s creation make us feel blessed beyond measure?
Friends, though every one of us is an everyday ordinary clay pot of sorts, the good news is that our pots are filled to overflowing with the light of Christ. And it’s our job as ordinary clay pots to share that light with the world. The best news of all is that we all get to share that light in our own individual and unique way. There are no rules or regulations, just endless possibilities! And what I have found over the years is that when we share the light of Christ by being who we are and doing what we love, the light shines even brighter. We don’t have to try to be perfect. We don’t have to be the best at what we do. We just need to be kind, and honest sharing the gifts that God has placed within us with others.
I recently read a piece by William Martin in his book Ancient Advice for Modern Parents (The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents). It read:
“Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples, and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary… will take care of itself.”
So, brothers and sisters in Christ, as you go out into your busy week ahead, don’t let the comments and opinions of others bother you. Make your own good choices. Share the light of Christ with the world in your own unique and beautiful way. And remember to enjoy each moment, allowing the ordinary to truly become extraordinary before your own eyes!
My friends, may it be so. Thanks be to God. Amen!
0 Comments