Don't Seal the Cracks!

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthian 4:16 NIV

 "It's what's on the inside that counts."

I've heard - and said - that statement likely more times than I care to count. And it's true in almost every instance. Especially, I learned recently, in the believer.

You see, I just finished a wonderful Bible reading plan from the website She Reads Truth - they have several available (I actually did mine through YouVersion), and the one I did was called Fresh Start. And the topic of the inside vs the outside...well...came up. One of the readings was from 2 Corinthians 4. You know, the part where Paul talks about us being clay jars.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV

Photo Source

I don't know about you, but my first instinct is to take care of "my jar." Try to keep it as smooth, nice-looking, and blemish-free as I possibly can. Wouldn't want anyone to see my flaws or, heaven forbid, find a crack in my exterior.

But I realized that this is absolutely the WRONG attitude. Cuz when our outside is smooth and unmarred, nobody can see our inside. And THAT's where the good - the God -  stuff is.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:10 NIV

If we want people to see Jesus in us (and that should most definitely be our goal), they need to be able to SEE in us. And the only way they can, is if we have cracks and areas that are worn through.

For the indwelling Holy Spirit to be visible to the world around us, we must be broken. And the more broken, the better.

Photo source

Every crack, every missing piece of the jar I live in - every tear in the the tent that is my body (2 Corinthians 5:1) is a fissure through which God's Holy Spirit can flow to the world. And when I try to fix them, I'm blocking off the true Source of everything that is good.

So, don't seal those cracks. The more broken you are, the more He can use you - from the inside out.

**

We're discussing this here, and at Living by Grace on Facebook. Won't you join us?

Have you been sealing your cracks? 

 

Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths