THE POTTER'S WHEEL

After thirty-one years, I still have the small, lovely vase I bought in Beijing, China in 1984.  It is only clay, but the potter shaped it to be both functional and beautiful.  I treasure it for its beauty and its capacity to bring back memories of that first trip.  It also reminds me of two verses in the Bible about the Potter and clay:

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.

We are the clay. You are the potter;

we are the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

O house of Israel, can I not do with you

as the potter does?  Declares the Lord.

Like clay in the hand of the potter,

so are you in my hand.

Jeremiah 18:5&6

The Bible is the Living Word.  It had meaning and purpose in Isaiah’s and Jeremiah’s day, and so it does for us today.  If we will, God will take the clay of our lives and shape it into vessels to be “filled to the measure of the fullness of God” as we read in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (3:19), filled with the Holy Spirit, God’s essence, pure love.  God wills to do this, to shape us and fill us with himself for service for him to others, and ultimately for his glory.

I truly love the metaphor of the Potter and the clay and the accompanying idea of being shaped into a vessel both functional and beautiful.  Only recently has another dimension of the metaphor come to mind.  It is that of the Potter’s wheel.  God can do anything on his own, but as the Potter he chooses to place the clay of our lives on Potter’s wheels.  In other words, he uses human agency, social contexts, and circumstances to shape us with competence and character after his likeness. 

The Extended Raymond Family Potter's Wheel

What are some of the wheels that the Potter uses to express his loving creativity?  Every afternoon, Irene and I care for our little twenty-one month old grandson.  What a joy! The first Potter’s wheel is family.   Family life shapes the clay in Jesus name.  Families can be contexts of health or toxic.  So may schools, summer camps, community centers, churches, youth groups, colleges, and universities.  Just this past week, Irene and I returned from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada) visiting The Salvation Army William and Catherine Booth University College (Booth College for short) where I spoke at their graduation.  Without question, Booth UC is a potter’s wheel, as are Asbury University,  Trinity Western University, and other Christ-centered institutions of higher higher education.  Their graduates choose to place themselves on a Potter’s wheel for four years.  Their opportunity is value-added because it is the Potter’s wheel. His hands and the college wheel itself is the human agency of faculty, staff, and leadership that continue to be shaped themselves as clay in the Potter’s hands.

I realize now that, if we are remain all throughout life in the Potter’s hands, He will continue the creative work of shaping, filling, and using us for the coming of His Kingdom and for the glory due His name.

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

(then)

Make me a blessing, humble and meek,

Lord may I lift up those who are weak,

And may the prayer of my heart always be,

Make me a blessing (x2), I pray.

HUMANITY'S WISDOM DEFICIT

In the media there is much talk about national and global financial deficits.  Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain all have one.  Here in the USA we have a whopping one the burden of which will be with us for a long time.  But the greater problem in not merely financial, which begs the question, “What could be more threatening?”  To that I would ask, “Does humanity suffer from a wisdom deficit?” Each day the news of the world is mind-boggling.  What a mess. Financial deficits are just one symptom of bigger, scarier things.  Like Diogenes walking around in the light of day with a lantern “looking for an honest man,” we find ourselves walking around looking for wise persons.  Where are obvious examples of wise discernment in local, national, and global leadership?  Where can we see practical wisdom?  Of course Diogenes was a cynic.  Cynicism aside, there are persons of practical of wisdom, but they are few and often not as apparent as their absence when so sorely needed. 

We see this at home from the US Congress and Executive Branch to life at the municipal and local level. There seems to be a shortage of wisdom in the world today, a deficit of the kind of wisdom that comes from exposures to good thinking and reflection in the context of learning from our mistakes.  At the same time, there is great wisdom to be found in obvious places, like the Scriptures, Old and New, the Psalms, Proverbs, and the sad story of God’s continuing grace in the face of Israel’s continual saga of hard-hearted disobedience and sin.

The Apostle Paul’s life was not easy.  He endured hostile rejection, persecution, physical violence, and a long litany of resistance to his ministry.  In the face of overwhelming adversity, by God’s grace he maintained a remarkably upbeat spirit. His spirit is seen in the words of wisdom that come from his life in the Spirit, through Scripture, prayer, listening to God, and reflection.  We see this early on in his letter to the Thessalonians written around 51 AD.  He writes a follow-up letter of encouragement to them from Corinth (selected verses of 1 Thessalonians 5:11-24):

“Encourage one another and build each other up. . . respect those who work hard among you . . . live in peace with each other . . . warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone . . . always be kind to each other and to everyone else.  Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not put out the Spirit’s fire . . .Test everything.  Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, should and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful. He will do it.”

Paul’s affirmation and encouragement is but one of so many passages in Scripture that speak wisdom into our hearts and lives.  So why is there seemingly such a shortage of wisdom in the world today, even among so many Christians.  Here’s part of the answer. We are too busy being attracted and distracted by other things.  There’s no time to read wisdom literature and ponder its value.  We are so distracted we lack the time and commitment to read, ponder, discuss, and apply the treasure trove of wisdom right at our finger tips. Perhaps we just don’t love ourselves and our Lord enough to take the time to listen (See Jeremiah 13:11), and too isolated from others by technology to hold each other accountable for our mistakes.   

I am speaking here about myself as well.  I confess my own failure when I say that Facebook, Twitter, high definition television, entertainment, sports programming,  and more have captured our hearts and shaped our habits.  They are quite amazing in what they offer, but face it.  We lack the windfall  of wisdom God provides because we are so attracted and distracted pursing other priorities.  You might say we are captured by subtle, but otherwise real idolatries which are increasingly available and distracting.

The one thing I can say in response to this shortfall in my own life:  Thank you God for the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.  Conviction is a good thing that moves me to repentance, to an about-face from my old dysfunctional habits.  In repentance I turn my heart and attention toward you, O God, the source of all wisdom.  I know that in pondering and responding to the wisdom of your Word, you sanctify me, as the Apostle Paul says, “through and through.”

Thanks be to God!

KEEPING TRACK OF OUR VIRTUES

In a matter of weeks comes a season of college and university graduations followed by weddings, resumes, and job hunting.  On all fronts millions of graduates will be profiling, putting one’s best face forward for others to see, and casting light on personal virtues of value one might bring to the marketplace.  

It strikes me that there are two kinds of virtues.  They are not the same list of desirable attributes.  On job applications and letters of recommendation we will find such qualities as strategic thinking, multi-tasking, digital savvy and prowess, prior job experience, interpersonal skills, management expertise, task efficiency, responsible follow through, and an otherwise long list of job competencies related to specific fields of employment.  The hope is that the very name and reputation of their college or university will vouch for the value the job candidate brings to the workplace.  These characteristics we might call Resume' Virtues.  They are all about competence in one’s field or profession honed and cultivated by universities that aspire to produce graduates of competence.

Resume' virtues stand in contrast to another category of virtues.  There is very little about preparation for one’s first job success or professional competence that one may hear at a funeral in the reading of a eulogy.  These characteristics we might call Eulogy Virtues.   Such virtues speak to the goodness of a person, one’s character and heart for others, faithfulness, and kindness, even purity of spirit.  In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-10) the Beatitudes of Jesus give us a list of Eulogy virtues: poor in spirit, meekness (humility), righteousness, mercifulness, purity of heart, peacemaking, willingness to be persecuted because of righteousness.  The Apostle Paul gives us another listing in his letter to the Galatians (5:22&23), the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  What we so often hear in eulogies is what one did for others, stories of the abandonment of self-interest, sacrifice, sensitivities to others’ needs, positive actions taken in situations of compelling moral and ethical dilemmas, generosity of spirit and substance, and self-denial.

Eulogy virtues are not the stock and trade of most universities.  However, I’ve noticed that more and more employers are looking for eulogy virtues in graduates they hire and promote.  Their business success depends on attributes that go beyond competence.  They recognize that criminals can be competent, but lack integrity, honesty, and a sensitivity to the needs and interests of others.  In reality employers are looking for both types of virtue.  Even more, they hope for the rare combination of competence and character that transcends either one.  They are looking for wisdom beyond intellect, a wisdom of the head and heart. They seek a combination of humility, perceptive emotional intelligence, and a person's potential for growing in wisdom.  Wisdom is a rare gem of inestimable value at any age.

Finally, beyond graduation is yet another season now on our door step.  It’s the seemingly never ending campaign and national election of another US president to job #1.  Pray for candidates with more than an impressive resume' or (eventually) lovely eulogy.  Pray for both.  Pray for the wisdom in candidates that brings the virtues of the resume' and the eulogy together.  Pray then for the discernment of the public to elect a leader with wisdom whose competence and character we can trust.  And pray for families, faith communities, colleges and universities that can develop wise world leaders for the long run.

PLANE CRASH EVANGELISM

Today I encountered a story told by Franklin Graham of a remarkable missionary and the timeliness of his preaching through the terror of a plane crash.  Graham writes:

“Traveling in Ethiopia brought to mind a man I met there and got to know in the 1980s. Andy Meakins was a gentle giant of the faith, an Englishman who loved Jesus Christ and served Him in Africa for many years. In 1996 an Ethiopian Airlines flight was hijacked and crashed into the ocean just off the Comoros Islands after running out of fuel—you may have heard the story. The dramatic moment of impact was caught on home video and broadcast around the world. Only later did we learn of something even more dramatic happening in the cabin as the plane headed for disaster.

Andy Meakins and his wife were on that plane, seated together. The hijackers demanded to be flown to Australia even though there wasn't nearly enough fuel for that distance. As they neared the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean, one engine flamed out, and the pilot told passengers that the remaining engine would soon run out of fuel as well. Immediately, Andy's wife heard the snap of a seat belt being unbuckled and turned to see her husband stand up.

"Many of us might die in this crash," he called out, "so there's something you need to know." Andy then began explaining the gospel simply and urgently, moving to each part of the cabin so that everyone would hear. He invited people to place their trust in Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. A flight attendant heard Andy's words, bowed her head, and asked Jesus to forgive her sins and come into her heart. She watched many more respond and, along with another survivor, later told the story. Of the 175 people on board, 125 died, including Andy, who was still on his feet preaching the gospel as the plane hit the water.”

There is no time, nor place where reaching out to others with the plain truth of the Gospel is inappropriate and not needed.  Pray that God will give you a passion for sharing the Good News at any time and anywhere and a sense of urgency as well.  That’s living right and righteous living!

"I want to live right that God may use me,

at any time or anywhere . . ."