But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
What loss are you facing? From a prison cell, the Apostle Paul writes these words to encourage the Christian brothers and sisters in Corinth. Losing his freedom and facing the threat of losing his life for the sake of the Gospel has left him perplexed, overwhelmed, and discouraged. He is suffering unfairly yet continues to overcome his situation. We might think of him as superhuman but he simply compares himself to a storage container.
In his day, “clay jars” or “earthen vessels” were used for many different purposes like storage, carrying water from the town well, even as a trash receptacle. These clay jars would get chipped and cracked and used up until reaching such disrepair they could only be thrown out. Ecclesiastes reminds us, “from the earth you have come and to the earth you will return.” Paul equates himself to an ordinary, everyday utensil rather than a priceless Grecian urn or a delicate goblet with gold inlay.
These clay pots were prone to breakage, offering little to no protection for what was inside. However, the Apostle Paul concludes this expendable vessel we walk around in is sufficient for the task of containing and conveying an invaluable treasure. The vessel does not detract from the message of Christ resurrected nor does it improve the message. It willingly and boldly carry’s the message whereever the call leads.
Truly living under the sign of the cross, the Gospel, revolutionizes worldly values and expectations. It is not a comfortable life, it cannot be. As Paul says, the odor of death is ever-present in our nostrils. The Gospel message we earthen vessels carry around is a call to loss. We are called to give anything and everything for the sake of Christ.