Nick, after hearing about some third grade antics and questions from my day at school, said, "I felt 'big' when I was in third grade, maybe because third graders were the oldest kids at my school." He's not alone. He comes by that feeling honestly. My spiritual leadership journey began in the third grade during a revival at our church. The revival preacher spoke from Revelation one night and, as a child with an overly active imagination who was easily frightened, I was riveted and didn't sleep well that night. The next day I found a congregation in Tanya and a pulpit on the school playground. I paced and used my hands to pass along the fascinating information and pictures the preacher imprinted in my mind. Since Tanya didn't go to church, I felt compelled to motivate her to find one quickly. My "sermon" included one particularly fascinating point: the "sharp double-edged sword" coming out of Jesus' mouth (Rev. 1:16) to slice and dice anyone who didn't follow Him. A frantic call from Tanya's mom that night put a stop to my playground preaching. I'll never forget the look on my mom's face when she asked me what I told Tanya to scare her to death.
"I told her what the preacher said about Jesus and the sword that comes out of His mouth," I said. I saw the relief in her eyes as she said softly, "Well, some people aren't ready to hear that part of the Bible yet." My eight-year-old heart wasn't ready, either. I was sharing things I couldn't handle, didn't understand, wasn't ready to know.
Jesus took Peter, James and John to a secret place where they saw Him in a way they couldn't fully process until after His resurrection. That's why He told them:
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what 'risen from the dead' meant.'" Mark 9:9-10
The Potter had these men on His wheel, but they weren't yet spiritually awakened to understand the full impact of what they had witnessed. Most of life's experiences work this way. Time, experience, and additional molding on the Potter's wheel form us into vessels capable of carrying a more complete picture of Christ to others.
"Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand."
Isaiah 64:8
"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
Satan loves to get us talking ahead of ourselves so we confuse issues and declare stubborn stands on trivial points. Nothing helps his cause more than believers who preach a second-hand message or who preach a message based on a one-time experience. "An obstinate outlook will effectually hinder God from revealing anything to us." We have our spiritual work cut out for us without burdening ourselves - and others -with matters too we don't understand.
"Only let us live up to what we have already attained."
Philippians 3:16
As we seek God's Face and become more pliable in God's hands, we grow strong enough to hear and bear His deeper secrets.
"My heart says of You, 'Seek His face!' Your face, LORD, I will seek."
Psalm 27:8
Father, may our lives prove what we know. Strengthen us to stay on Your wheel and let You mold us Your way in Your time. Stop us from acting like spiritual know-it-alls who disgrace Your Grace. Help us live up to the Treasure You've molded us to hold. Guide us to love You with everything in us and to love each other as we love ourselves. That's enough to handle for one day and even for a lifetime.
In the Name of Jesus Who knows what we can handle with Grace.
Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling
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