Clay Pots

by Skip Heitzig | March 28, 2025

You know that TV show Storage Wars where people bid for the unknown contents of storage units? Sometimes the winner of the auction will find treasure inside. On one episode, a guy paid $1,000 for a unit, but when he dug inside, he found gold bars, silver bars, and coins that were worth $500,000. On another episode, there was a safe inside. I don't know how much they paid for it, but when they opened it, they found $7.5 million.

What was more important, the storage unit or what was inside? Think of that when you think of the gospel inside you. That's what Paul alluded to in 2 Corinthians 4 when he said, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (v. 7).

In ancient times, people stored precious commodities like water, wine, and oil in clay pots ("earthen vessels"). They would also put treasures, like jewelry, in these pots to hide them from thieves. The clay pot wasn't important, but what was inside was.

So we have this treasure—the gospel, the message that changes lives—in clay pots (that is, ourselves) so that other people can find peace and meaning in this life and then go to heaven forever.

In this verse, Paul was comparing the nature of the message to the nature of the messenger. The messenger isn't impressive. It's just a clay pot. The message is impressive because it's life-changing. The message needs the messenger to speak it. But when the messenger speaks the message and a life changes, you don't say, "What a marvelous messenger!" You say, "What a great message! The gospel changed another life. That person is going to heaven."

It's like enjoying a really great cup of coffee at your favorite coffee shop. When you taste it, do you say, "Wow, where'd you get this cup? I've never had such good coffee. It must be because of the cup"? No, that's silly. It's not the container. It's what's inside that makes the difference.

So it is with any man or woman of God. I remember a dear woman who came up to me after a service, grabbed my arms, and said, "Never leave." Now, I think she was being very sweet. But listen: I'm just a clay pot. The message is what attracts you. It's the message that changes you.

And any clay pot that makes a lot of itself—as if to say, "I'm awesome"—is really a crackpot. It's not about the clay pot, the messenger. It's about the message. "The excellence of the power [is] of God and not of us" (v. 7).

From time to time, we reflect on the great life—and marvelous gospel—we have. Granted, some of you might be suffering from health or relationship troubles, as so many are, but you know what? You're not going to hell. Just remember that.

Somebody could have perfect health, a beautiful home, lots of friends, and lots of money. But if they don't know Christ, this is the last good time they'll ever have. They might have more friends on social media than you, but those are the last friends they'll ever be able to enjoy.

You've had the light of the glorious gospel shine in your life. Be that humble clay pot that yields up this precious treasure to those you encounter every day.

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