Mason jars

Last summer, I watched a video series
called A Heart Ablaze: Igniting a Passion for God by John Bevere. He talked a lot about the purpose of trials. They exist to burn off dross — impurity — in our lives. No trial is pleasant, but the results produce pure gold and silver in our lives where only raw ore existed.

The more we are refined, the more transparent we become. The more transparent we become, the better the light of Christ shows through us.

Paul describes himself as a jar of clay in II Cor. 4:7 (NIV), saying that we are not glamorous in ourselves in order to show God’s power through us. We don’t have power in ourselves.

I really think I’d rather be a Mason jar. It’s not glamorous, either, but it’s transparent.

Jesus said, “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a clay pot. A lamp is put on a lampstand, so that everyone who comes into the house can see the light. …[B]e sure that your light isn’t darkness. If you have light, and nothing is dark, then light will be everywhere, as when a lamp shines brightly on you.” (Luke 11:33, 35, 36 CEV)

I want to be a lampstand, holding the Light of the World in such a way that He is visible and not me. I want to hold the lamp kit, not be the light.

As the song goes, “Shine, Jesus, shine!”

Tags: 2 corinthians, Christ, god, jar of clay, jesus, lamp kit, lamps, luke, luke 11, mason jar, paul