There are twenty-three American Indian tribes in New Mexico where I grew up. My sister and I were interested in the decorated clay pots in the shops at Old Town in Albuquerque. We marveled at the colors and designs on the pots. The clay pots and jars we saw were made from red clay dug from the Rio Grande river banks and clay from the caves deep in the mountainsides. Each tribe has signature designs for their pots and the beauty sometimes made us, two little girls, just stand and stare.
Paul talks about clay jars or pots, earthen vessels. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 :
For it is the God who said, “Let light 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 Jesus 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 God's beautiful earthen vessels made from dust and stardust. Awesome!
And inside of us, the earthen vessels, God shines the light of knowledge. What knowledge?
The knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Shining like treasure?
Yes, it shines like treasure within us to let us know that whatever is extraordinary
about us comes from God, not us.
If you had to name one extraordinary thing about yourself what would you say?
You're reliable at work-- that's not you that's God, He's reliable through you.
You are great at helping others who are sad-- that's not you that's God, from you they feel God's compassion You are a person others turn to for advice-- that's not you that's God, from you they hear God's advice.
In other words, whatever is extraordinary about us comes from God, not us. Isn't that extraordinary. We know the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Thank you Paul.