The Pottery Lesson
THE POTTERY LESSON
Read Jeremiah 18:1-6.
Jasmine and several friends watched as her mother poured a liquid into a mold. The girls wanted to see how something so runny could become a hard vase. Then Mom brought out a piece that had been molded a few days ago.
“Is that one done?” asked one of the girls.
“Oh, no,” replied Jasmine’s mother. “Now that it’s dry enough to handle, I will rub, clean, and scrape it. Then I’ll put it into the fire.”
The girls watched again as Jasmine’s mother worked on the pottery. With a knife she scraped away the extra clay. With sandpaper she smoothed the pottery. Finally she rubbed it with a soft sponge.
“What a lot of work!” Jasmine said.
“I’m just beginning,” Mom answered. “After it has been in the fire, I’ll add a colorful glaze. Then I’ll put it into the fire again. It’s the same way that God works on us. He scrapes off bad habits, smoothing us out to become more like Him. Then He makes us beautiful and shiny by putting us through fire.”
“But I don’t want to be put through all that,” remarked one girl.
“It’s important to ask God to make us willing to let Him work on us,” said Jasmine’s mother. “He wants to take away bad habits, sinful thoughts, angry words, and stubborn attitudes so our lives will shine for Jesus!”
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has God been scraping off your bad habits and sinful deeds? Has He disciplined you when you lie, cheat, or talk back? Has He taught you patience through illness or through not getting something you really want? Are you willing to be whatever God creates you to be? He wants to help you serve Him!
TO MEMORIZE:
When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
Romans 9:21
LET GOD MOLD YOU.
From the book
