TREASURE IN CLAY POTS

The Holy Bible says, “You are like salt for all mankind.”

 A lady once approached me with something that was bothering her from a long time. “In my young age, I was courteous and kind with everyone and I could help them selflessly. But as years passed on I truly realize that I changed. Some sort of fear, insecurity obstructs me from communicating with them. Scarcity of love, famine of words and compassion arise within me as I try to approach them. I am aware that there is an urge to run away from all my loved ones and to escape from them all.”

Dear ones, let us imagine ourselves at the onset of a journey we look forward to.  We find ourselves active, enthusiastic and all bubbled up at the start of it. As our journey advances, moments of tiredness and boredom seep in and influence us.

God created us pure and holy. We can witness the activeness and eagerness in a child as he/ she grows up. God enriched us with all His skills and surrounded us with parents, teachers etc to teach and guide us. As we grow up some of us are attracted towards certain individuals who have devoted themselves to the service of God.  Through them, we imbibe the knowledge and discipline of God.

But also in order to achieve the basics of life such education, career, family and in our race to outrun from one another, we end up in turmoil  losing  our good taste towards life. Gradually our interest changes but the turmoil becomes a part of our daily life.

A recipe however tasty, delicious or exotic it may be, the chef recommends that we add salt as per our taste. How many of us would be able to enjoy a delicious meal, however grand it may be, if the cook has forgotten to sprinkle some salt in it? A dust of salt changes our moods. Thanks be to God who blessed us with taste buds that enhance and add joy to our life.

Let’s meditate a verse from the Holy Scriptures, “You are like salt for all mankind. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless and people trample on it.” (Matthew 5:13)

Just as how salt changes the bland taste, similarly you too can change the bland taste of your life.

Being with God who resides in you, listening to His voice, correcting your path using the salt of repentance, you can regain the saltiness (virtues of life).

One who is specially chosen to be His disciple needs to examine themselves whether the saltiness is within them or not because when they mingle with the common people God wants that they spread the divine taste of life and His qualities.

An apostle of God is always under the process of forgiveness and reconciliation so that he/she may be worthy enough to grant God’s mercy and serve it to those who approach them.  Gift of discernment and awakeness holds an important role in a disciple’s life.  

Everyone will be purified by fire just as a sacrifice is purified with salt. Salt acts as an cleansing and purifying agent. Here, salt is a symbol of holy fire that is the Spirit of God. Holy Spirit cleanses and purifies our soul, mind and every organ in our body and prevents us from damaging the saltiness of True Faith that can lead us to a righteous life.

St. Paul instructs us that the one who is under God’s grace has to remember that the spiritual treasures are like a common clay pot and if good care is not taken then it can be broken and cannot be remolded.  He further says to humble oneself to show that the supreme power belongs to God and not to us. 

Life of a disciple may be full of troubles, doubts, oppositions, badly hurt at times, etc.  But the spiritual grace of God’s love never allows a true disciple to be crushed, despised or destroyed by the enemies, if good care is taken.  His faith, serenity and hope will be high if he properly maintains it.  If you neglect it, St. Paul says, “For there is no longer any sacrifice that will take away sins, if you purposely go on sinning after the truth has been made known to us.”  (Hebrews 10) The one who truly accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior received the grace to forbid sin and to lead a righteous hopeful life.

“When the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, He saved us.  It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of His own mercy that He saved us through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us.”  (Titus 3 :3-5)

When we are exposed to the worldly and bodily lusts and desires, the saltiness of virtues diminishes and gradually we will be good for nothing and thrown into hell where the worms that eat them never die and the fire that burns them is never put out.

So let us examine our lives and ask God for a contrite heart to return to Him.  Whoever wishes to follow Christ and serve Him must try to correct oneself  from even minute bad habits and  be careful to practice good virtues over and again.  Your bad thoughts and secret sins are also are visible to God.  Your good characters can be often ruined by bad companions, books and films and become a victim of foolishness.  Stop your sinful ways and turn back to the right sense.  The Bible says “Do not commit same sins repeatedly because the punishment you get the first time ought to be enough.” (Sir 7: 8)

The one who is faithful to God must not deceive himself by misusing his tongue.  Try to be truthful and sincere with everyone.  The Holy Bible teaches that let no one become like a bitter plant that grows up and causes many troubles with its poison. (Heb 12:15)

Let’s be moral and spiritual.  Bitter plant can grow inside and outside.  You may be able to speak and behave softly and mannerly keeping all grudge and jealousy inside.  Sometimes you may show forgiveness outwardly, still the bitter plant of pain and hatredness will destroy inwardly and make you a victim of many mental and physical sicknesses.  And slowly it totally takes away the good taste of your faith and love of God.  Avoid arguments, quarrels and fights as they are useless and worthless but will only bring divisions.  Keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up only in quarrels. 

St. Paul advises that “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel. He must be kind towards all to bring them to the repentance and to come to know the truth. Keep away from those godless legends which are not worth telling.”         (1Tim. 4:7). 

A disciple’s duty is not to please people, but to seek the will of God. 

St. Paul says, “I am not worried about man’s approval, if I were I would not be a servant of Christ.”  (Gal. 1: 10)

Lord Jesus said, “I am not looking for human praise.”  

“To love one another is the only obligation for a disciple.” (Rom 13:8) 

“Do not take any unwanted obligation which may lead you to darkness.  Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.” (James 3:16). 

“No liar will live in my palace, no hypocrites will remain in my presence.” (Psalms 101). 

“Rebellion against God is as bad as witchcraft and arrogance is as bad as idolatry because you rejected the Lord’s commands” (1 Samuel 15:23)

“For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil.  Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.”  (1 Tim. 6:10)

These are the few characters which can remove the saltiness of a disciple to whom God said, “You are like the salt of the earth”.  So if you have lost the saltiness of your life return to God of mercy with a contrite heart who can still forgive you. He will cleanse and purify you by the Blood of Jesus His Son and bestow His Holy Spirit to remould you.