Friday, March 26: A Broken Jar

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One 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 earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves 2 Cor. 4:6-7

In a story of a far away village, there was a house with two jars for water. One of the jars was new and pristine. The other was cracked and leaky. Each day the young man of the house would take up his yoke and carry the two jars to the well, fill them up and bring them back to the house. By the time he got back to the house, the cracked jar was only about half full of water. For months this happened. The jar was distressed by her brokenness and finally wept to the man that she was useless and that he should buy another jar. But the man turned around and pointed to the path he travelled. There were rows of beautiful flowers all along the way. The man said to the jar, “You are not useless. The water you leaked out has nourished the flowers along the way.”

I always want people to think I’m perfect. I do anything I can to avoid people knowing I’m flawed. But like the jar of water, God knows I’m not perfect. He has poured the light of Jesus into me so that I might spill out and water the seeds along my path. He nourishes those around me through my cracks and faults. When we acknowledge our imperfections and turn to Christ as the one who fills us and uses us, he can work wonders. It is important not only to acknowledge my weakness to God but to others, so that they might see what great and powerful things He can do through me!

Like the jar, we can see that our afflictions can be of use to Christ, when we put our trust in Him. If you have been through an illness, you may be able to help someone else through their illness. If you have insecurities, perhaps you can show someone else that though you might fail, God will never fail you. If you have overcome troubles in a relationship, perhaps you can minister to someone in a troubled relationship.

God how can you use me with all my faults? I want to be your jar filled with your light and love. I want to spill out on all I pass. Thank you for letting me be your earthen vessel.

Laura Lewis