Mere jars of clay

“For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ 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 jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:5-7).

These verses remind me it’s all right to feel inadequate, because we are inadequate! We’re also defective, broken and terribly flawed. We can never make ourselves good enough to be used by God. At our best, we’re still mere jars of clay. If God uses us at all, it’s only because of grace. All the power—and, therefore, all the glory—belongs to God.

So, as God gives opportunity, serve joyously, trusting in God’s “surpassing power”.