Be careful to make the distinction between the ‘earthen vessel’ and the ‘treasure’. Paul says, ‘We have this treasure’; he doesn’t say, ’We are this treasure’! Anytime you allow people to think of you as the treasure, God is not pleased, and you’re setting yourself up to fail. When God deposits a treasure within you, it means two things: 1) He expects a return on His investment. 2) You’re called to a higher level of responsibility and accountability. Sometimes people think leaders are immune to life’s tests and trials. Not so! Because someone has talent doesn’t mean they don’t struggle in certain areas. Their struggles may be unseen, but they’re real. Let’s face it; God uses people we would have censured and thrown away, like Rahab working as a prostitute in Jericho. But when she placed her faith in God, He used her to help win the battle of Jericho. Then He included her in the family line of Christ (see Hebrews 11:31). And how about Jephthah? He was born to an unwed mother, rejected as illegitimate by his half brothers and sisters, and ended up living in a cave with a gang. Yet God used him to deliver Israel and become one of its youngest leaders (see Hebrews 11:32). God specialises in restoring broken vessels. He takes things that aren’t productive – marriages that don’t work, people with problems – and teaches them how to be victorious and fruitful in His service. Knowing that gives you the strength and tenacity to face whatever comes because you understand that when God places His treasure within you, He protects it, uses it, and blesses it.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.