The Beautiful Pot

            We have dreams. Just about all people have some secret desire deep down inside them. Something they aspire to be, something they long to do. We all have dreams, and we work toward fulfilling them.

            My dream is to be an author. More than just about anything else, I want to write books.

            If we went a little further, I’d say that I want my books to glorify God and challenge my readers. I want those who read my books to enjoy them, but to leave feeling convicted and convinced of God’s sovereignty and goodness. I want to change the world through literature.

            This is my dream. It sounds like a worthy aspiration. To draw the world to God through novels. But what if that’s not what God has planned for me?

            I believe that my writing talent is God-given. We know that He wastes nothing, so He obviously has plans for my writing. But what if His plans are different from mine?

            What if I never become a published author? What if my writings never go farther than this blog? No further than emails to my friends? What if my dreams are never fulfilled the way I envision them?

            While I was looking up verses about the potter and the clay for my last post, I found this verse:

Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? -Romans 9:21

We all long for greatness. We as Christians want to do big things for God. But not all of us were made for big, incredible things.

Some of us are “common” vessels talked about in Romans 9. That is the way God chose to make us and use us. We don’t get to stand in the spotlight, or win the applause, or write a Best Seller. Some of us are just ordinary.

But we don’t need to have renown to make a difference in the world. Sometimes, it’s the smallest things we do that make the biggest difference. Showing love to the unlovable, kindness to the undeserving, peace to the restless, comfort to the hurting… These are the things that Christ calls us to do. And He has given specific gifts to each of us that will further enable us to do His will.

Take Josh for example. He wasn’t famous. He didn’t do anything spectacular; he just lived. He was kind to people. He encouraged those around him. He wrote a blog. He allowed God to work in his life – that’s it. And God used all the simple things that Josh did to change the world.

I’m not saying give up your dreams. Don’t. God has given you these desires for a reason. But don’t be afraid to follow God’s calling. If He is calling you to give up your big dreams and live a humble life, do it. As Josh so truly put it, “To surrender a precious dream is a fearful thing, but to pursue anything but the full measure of the glory of God's love is a wasted life.”

Don’t let your dreams interfere with your relationship with Christ. Don’t idolize them. Our dreams should be to reflect Christ, to shine His light brightly in the world.

And don’t be afraid of being a vessel for common use. Just because you may not be as beautifully painted or sculpted as other vases you see around you, God has crafted you with His own hands, and He loves you. That alone makes you immeasurably valuable.

Be whoever God made you to be. Whether famous or nameless, wealthy or poor, known or unknown, live the life that He has given you to the fullest. Do it all for Him, and to the furthering of His kingdom.

Be a beautiful, useful pot.