Treasures in Jars of Clay

This summer, four seminary students graduated from CRTS. I was invited to play the piano during their commencement ceremony, and had the opportunity to listen to the commencement message given by Dr. Andrew Silman, a pastor and board member of Friends of CRTS (the mission organization that supports CRTS). His encouragement to all who attended the ceremony came from 2 Corinthians 4, on how we are like jars of clay which have been given the greatest treasure of all— the grace of God. Jars of clay have nothing to boast of themselves— they often served menial purposes, they were easily broken and cracked, and they were cheap and replaceable. Dr. Silman reminded us that we are like these lowly jars of clay, truly unworthy for anything, not like the beautiful Chinese ceramic pottery that we often see preserved in museums today. Yet, God in His great mercy and love gave us the greatest treasure to be put in these jars of clay— so that through our brokenness, like visible cracks in the jars of clay, the glory of God might shine all the brighter so that the gospel is clearly seen.

Dr. Silman also reminded me of my required humility in light of Romans 9:22, “What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?” We were once all objects of God’s wrath— let us never forget this— and now through Christ, we have become the objects of His mercy as He bears patiently with us each and every day. I was convicted of the fact that everything I have and everything that I am is ultimately from God, given to me undeservedly in His great mercy so that I will never be able to boast. So, whether in school, in the workplace, or in ministry, Dr. Silman encouraged us to never forget our brokenness and to recognize God’s great and continual mercies in our lives. In us broken jars of clay, may His power and His glory be shown all the more clearly. This is the truth of the gospel— what good news!

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