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Vasos de barro... Clay pots... #2

10/3/2016

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“Pero tenemos este tesoro en vasos de barro,” (2 Cor 4:7)

Sí…, somos frágiles, comunes, quebradizos. Es bueno saber de qué somos hechos  y a qué llegaremos por nuestra cuenta. Poca razón tenemos para pensar que somos mejores que otros.

Pero, sabemos que la historia no termina ahí. Nuestra completa falta de merecimiento no es simplemente una herramienta divina para mantenernos humildes. Es el trasfondo más adecuado para que luzcan ciertos atributos de Dios; cosas que de otro modo se quedarían guardadas en un cuarto obscuro de conocimiento teórico.

En un contexto doctrinal mayor, Pablo de repente nos llama, “vasos de misericordia” (Rom 9:23). Muestra que, primero, fuimos objetos de misericordia. Dios vio lo que venía… ve ahora lo que somos y todo lo que no somos… y aun así nos ama y nos tiene lástima. Nos escogió, efectuó mediante el regalo de Su Hijo una vida, un significado, una eternidad que jamás merecimos.

¿Vasos de barro vacíos? Sí… pero ahora somos vasos de misericordia. Nadie nos debe de tener lástima. Nosotros estamos en Cristo por nuestra fe sencilla en él… y ahora, Cristo está en nosotros. “Cristo en ustedes, la esperanza de gloria,” (Col 1:27). ¡Qué tesoro portamos, qué presencia divina y poder sustentador!

Hay mucho que decir respecto a cómo nos debe de afectar. Pero, deténte un momento… reflexiona sobre esa frase pequeña:

Dios es misericordioso.

Ahora, alza tu corazón en alabanza y gratitud.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay,"  (2 Cor 4:7)

Yes, we are fragile, ordinary, breakable. It is good to know what we are made of and what we will amount to on our own. We have little reason for thinking ourselves better than others.

But we know that the story doesn't end there. Our innate unworthiness is not merely a divine tool for keeping us humble. It is the most adequate backdrop possible for putting certain of God's attributes on display; things that might otherwise remain obscured in a dimly lit room of theoretical knowledge.

In a larger doctrinal setting, Paul almost offhandedly calls us “vessels of mercy” (Ro 9:23). The context shows that we were first objects of mercy. God saw what was coming… he sees now what we are and all that we are not… and he still takes pity on us. He chose us, he effectuated through the gift of His Son a life, a meaning and an eternity that we never deserved.

¿Empty clay pots? Yes… but now we are vessels of mercy. No one needs to feel sorry for us. We are in Christ through our simple faith in him… and now, Christ is in us, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27). What a treasure we carry; what a divine presence and sustaining force!

There is much left to be said about how that should affect us. But stop a minute, reflect on that tiny phrase:

God is merciful.

Now, lift your heart in praise and thanksgiving.

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    Greg Smith

    Greg grew up in Menomonee Falls, WI. His ministry began in 1976: 5 years in Central America, 36 in Mexico. His passion is church planting and discipleship.
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    Greg enjoys being married to Carol Ahola-Smith. Both have been missionaries (Japan and Mexico); both watched their first spouses precede them in death.
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