We recently went to a village and met a nice potter who let our kids try their hands at the wheel. As we watched them create, mess up, try to center the clay, listen to the master potter’s instructions, ignore the master potter’s instructions, smooth, and smile at the finished product, Mike and I were reminded of how much we are like the clay on the wheel. Some of the lessons Mike recently wrote about the clay and potter are as follows:
1) The potter knew exactly what he wanted BEFORE he started. He knew the right amount of clay he would need and wasted nothing. He knew the proper amount of water to use and put it on his hands to make them softer for the clay. He used only the tools required for what he was making. He used different speeds on the potter’s wheel, again knowing how fast was too fast and how slow was too slow. And most of all, he knew the amount of time the clay needed to be on the wheel. When finished, the clay came off the wheel.
2) At different times, more shaping of the clay was more visibly obvious. At times it looked like nothing was happening. But in reality, he was applying the finishing touches! At times, more pressure was needed and at times he gently held the clay to smooth away the rough spots.
1) The potter knew exactly what he wanted BEFORE he started. He knew the right amount of clay he would need and wasted nothing. He knew the proper amount of water to use and put it on his hands to make them softer for the clay. He used only the tools required for what he was making. He used different speeds on the potter’s wheel, again knowing how fast was too fast and how slow was too slow. And most of all, he knew the amount of time the clay needed to be on the wheel. When finished, the clay came off the wheel.
2) At different times, more shaping of the clay was more visibly obvious. At times it looked like nothing was happening. But in reality, he was applying the finishing touches! At times, more pressure was needed and at times he gently held the clay to smooth away the rough spots.
3) He ALWAYS had his hands and eyes on the clay. He didn’t walk away. He wasn’t doing work on something else. He wasn’t thinking about his last piece of work or his next one. He simply saw he piece of clay he held in his hands. If he had left the wheel while it was still spinning, the clay would have been thrown off the wheel. But the potter would never let that happen.
4) The finished product looked NOTHING like the lump he started with! Everything he made was pottery, but he had things in every kind of shape and size.
Consider this: He is the potter and we are the clay. There is also the wheel. What is “the wheel” in life? It’s what the potter used to SHAPE the clay. For us, that’s our life and the experiences He allows into them so He might shape us into exactly what He wants. The wheel is our individual set of circumstances that He fashions. Nothing wasted. Everything with purpose. He knows exactly what He wants to make of you! At times, it may be more obvious for you to see than other times. But, fear not, because He never takes His hands or eyes off of you. And when you are “finished”, you will look nothing like you did when He started. Aren’t you glad?!?!?!? I know I am!!
Consider this: He is the potter and we are the clay. There is also the wheel. What is “the wheel” in life? It’s what the potter used to SHAPE the clay. For us, that’s our life and the experiences He allows into them so He might shape us into exactly what He wants. The wheel is our individual set of circumstances that He fashions. Nothing wasted. Everything with purpose. He knows exactly what He wants to make of you! At times, it may be more obvious for you to see than other times. But, fear not, because He never takes His hands or eyes off of you. And when you are “finished”, you will look nothing like you did when He started. Aren’t you glad?!?!?!? I know I am!!
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