Jars of Clay

What would you think of a pastor who powerfully preached about living joyfully for Christ but struggled with bouts of depression?  What would you say about a Christian marriage counselor who was on the brink of divorce?  How would you regard the missionary who boldly proclaimed the need to accept Jesus as Lord but inwardly wondered about his own relationship with Christ?

What adjectives come to mind?  Do you think phony, inauthentic, poser, hypocrite, lame, weak, broken, fake, useless, etc.?  Would you recommend a change of vocation, return from the mission field, taking down their shingle and hanging up their hat?  Would you say that these are individuals who have no business representing the Lord?

On the other hand, how would you rate King David, the prophet Elijah, the lawgiver Moses, the faithful Abraham and the apostles Peter and  Paul?  We know they were giants in biblical narrative, but have we forgotten that David impregnated the wife of one of his fighting men and killed him to cover his sin?  Or that Moses debated with God to keep from having to lead Israel?  That Abraham passed his wife off as his sister to Pharaoh out of fear?  That Peter denied knowing Jesus?  That Paul was given "a thorn in his side" to prevent arogance?

Would you be suprised to know that all of us, great and small, are broken?  Would it shake your faith to learn that everyone's faith gets shaken up from time to time?  What if I told you that none of us measure up, that all of us "have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us" (2 Cor 4:7)?  (Actually, I was just passing on what God reveals in his Word, not telling you - don't let that get past you.)

So, we're all jars of clay instead of golden goblets.  And yet, God chooses to use us as containers of the Spirit and dispensers of the Gospel when we accept his grace.  So, what do you with that?  Jus' Askn.