Flawed Vessels

“Mummy, Mummy, I just killed a giant insect !” How many of us have heard or even spoken words like this at some time when it means we just trod on an ant and we’re not quite as brave or good as we are making out?? It’s something that kids just do. They do it to attract attention, to gain prestige, to win an easy “Well done” from someone they think doesn’t love them quite enough.

So then – how many Christians have you heard do exactly the same thing. Different level and context of course, but nevertheless, they do it. Perhaps they want a bit of the reflected glory or they want to appear to have a bigger and better ministry than they really have. We hear TV broadcasts that laud the minister to the hills and back – whilst saying “Glory to God” of course, but meaning “look at me!” How many have we seen like this. How many of them claim astonishing miracles and events through their ministry and under their personal control. Much of it is "I did this", or, "I said that." Some claim the same miracles time after time after time in order to boost their own ratings and make their ministry look “the business”.

Flawed vessels – that’s all they are – flawed vessels. The Word of God says to judge a man by his fruit. Matthew 7:16-20 says “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Sinful as we all are, we are simply flawed vessels yet by our fruit you will know each and every one of us. We claim so much – we try to share Gods Glory. Yet the Word says that He is a jealous God and will share His Glory with no-one. Deuteronomy 4:24 (NIV) ^“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. “

Yet our God is also a merciful and forgiving God and we should forgive those who cross the line. We should lovingly point out their error to them – as a mother does to her children. If they refuse to do the right thing then that is between them and God – NOT us. God is their judge not us. We can disregard them or put them away from us but we must always pray for them to return to a godly obedience and restoration.

After all, who are we? 2 Corinthians 4:7 (The Message) “If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. As it is, there's not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at. We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us. While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best! “