I Peter 2:12 “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
I Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”
Isaiah 9:21 “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”
A few weeks ago, an historical tragedy took place at the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel. A four-year-old boy tugged on a jar that was on display, causing it to crash to the floor and shatter. This jar, a rare find that was discovered fully intact, was over 3,500 years old, making it older than King David himself. The museum, which believes in making its artifacts accessible to the viewing public, sees these risky protocols as containing a “special charm.” Their grace-filled response to this mishap, including an invite for the family to return for a special tour at a different time, proves the extent of these convictions. Yet, the “special charm” did not provide protection for the jar as the boy’s parents looked on in horror at the inquisitive and costly mess made by their son.
Our testimonies, in the view of those who are watching us and judging our Saviour by what they see, are fragile like that ancient jar. One misstep can cause our Christian façade to shatter, making it difficult to pick up the pieces and nearly impossible to patch them back together. While the Potter can remold the clay to reform our lives, the hits to our reputations, credibility, and usefulness in the eyes of those who know us can be long lasting. There is nothing neither special nor charming about the wake of recklessness caused by errors that can degrade the trustworthiness of our character.
PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO CAREFULLY TEND TO OUR TESTIMONIES, OUR REPUTATIONS, AND OUR CREDIBILITY. There is no “special charm” to sin, nor to the results that bring dishonor to the name of Christ.
ADMIN: Please see the following article for details about the broken jar in Haifa.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2j2y20epo.amp
