January 11

Treasure in Clay Jars

               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 in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.          

2 Corinthians 4:7-10

Treasure held in clay jars.  This is how humanity is described by Paul.  I love this picture of items of immense value held in a bumpy, old crusty container.  My desk has a number of pieces of art that my kids have made for me over the years.  One of the first pieces is a lump of pink clay with dry macaroni noodles pressed onto the top and glitter added for artistic flair.  It is a turtle…because that is what the 4 year old artist decreed it to be.  No one would mistake it for high art.  It cost a few cents to make and the value has probably decreased over time.  But I smile every time I look at it.

Our physical forms here on earth are simply clay vessels.  They are cheap and fragile, destined to break down.  Some look fancy.  Some are quite useful.  Some just make us scratch our heads.  All will end.  Physical skills, mental prowess, strength, endurance, agility, eloquence…they all fade and pass away, no matter how developed and impressive they are.  These mortal forms are not who we are, they are simply the thin shell that holds the immortal treasure inside.  The bodies will break and die.  The soul…the part of us that is crafted after the image of God…that remains forever and is of infinite value.

We have invested a lot of time into therapists to work through developmental issues that my son has.  Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social skill therapists.  They are all striving to make my son’s life easier.  I am deeply appreciative of all the work that they put in and how much progress he has made.  And I remind myself that all that work is to make the clay pot more functional.  None of it addresses the treasure that he carries inside of him.  None of it touches the purity of heart and the selflessness and the faith and the joy and the hope that he carries by just being himself.  Having a broken body is not losing at this life.  It is just a decorative lump of clay.  Neglecting the immense treasure that resides within the clay?  That is a far more costly choice.

A moment to reflect:

Spend a few minutes naming the treasures contained within the clay jar of your child.

Refrigerator Art of the Day:

D age 4