“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV).
Paul described the gospel as a priceless treasure placed within ordinary and fragile “jars of clay.” In the first century, clay jars were cheap and breakable, yet used to hold valuable contents. Paul’s point is clear: God deliberately chose weak vessels to display His glory. The treasure is the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (v.6), but the vessels are frail and unremarkable human beings. This contrast reveals that the power to save, transform, and sustain does not come from us, but from God alone. The Corinthians admired strength, eloquence, and outward impressiveness, yet Paul came to them in weakness that the power of Christ might be on full display.
Our message is not about us, but about Christ. We are like fragile clay jars, but we carry the greatest treasure the world has ever known—the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we crave applause or recognition, we forget our true purpose: to bring glory to God. Trials, sufferings, and weaknesses remind us that the life we live cannot be explained apart from God’s power at work within us. We are to live in such a manner that there is no other explanation for our existence than God’s power within us. For it’s not about us, it’s about Christ in us. As the apostle Paul wrote, “[It is] Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for entrusting us with the treasure of the gospel. Forgive us when we make life about ourselves rather than about Christ in us. Teach us to see trials and weaknesses as opportunities for Your power to be revealed. May others see more of Jesus and less of us in our words, our actions, and our attitudes. Let Your glory shine through these fragile clay jars, that all might know the surpassing power is Yours alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.