Matters of Faith: Quality Matters!

Rev. J_Loren RussellQUALITY MATTERS!

By: Rev. J. Loren Russell, BA, MDiv

 

Jeremiah 18:4 (NKJV)

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.”

 

Whether you believe it or not, the materials that are used to make anything is of the utmost importance. If poor quality is chosen, then the end result may look good, but time and wear will reveal the true worth of the thing. But if the materials chosen are of good quality, time and wear will reveal the beauty and durability of the thing. Quality matters!

 

Years ago, a watch manufacturer coined a slogan that they hoped would attract customers by describing the quality of their product in one sentence, “It takes a lickin’, but keeps on ticking’!” Things made with quality materials have lasting durability and customer loyalty.

 

The text helps us to visualize a lump of clay, ruined in the hands of a ceramic artist who was using his talents to make items that he would presumably bring to market. This artist gets frustrated by the outcome and suddenly decides to start all over again. But quality matters. If the quality of the clay were inferior, there would be nothing with which to work. One mistake and that would be that. All of his artistic ability, all of his creativity, all of his ingenuity would have been of no use because he wouldn’t have much to work with. When the clay was marred in the potter’s hand, because the quality was good, he decided to make it into something else. The text does not say what he made, just that he made it into whatever seemed good to him, but it would be different than what he originally planned. There was quality in the clay.

 

So it is with us. The text says that the Lord is the potter and the clay His chosen nation of Israel. He tells them that He can do whatever He wants, not only with them, but all the other clay; that is to say, any other nation. He tells them, if a nation is not living up to His expectation, He will destroy it. But, He says, if they relent, or change their ways, He will “relent on the destruction He thought to bring upon them” (Jeremiah 18:8).  There is quality in the clay.

 

Isn’t that fascinating? The clay itself is so durable, so tough, so flexible, so adaptable, that even if it is ruined, it can be refashioned into something more productive and more useful. People are made of the best quality materials. But we ruin ourselves by the choices and decisions we make. However, the quality that has been put into us makes us salvageable, recyclable, renewable, and redeemable. We can be molded again into “another vessel, as it seems good to the potter to make.” There is hope for us, no matter how marred or ruined we may be.., because quality matters!    

Be Blessed +++

 

Rev. J. Loren Russell, BS, MDiv is President/CEO of The JLR Company, and an associate minister at both Goodwill and Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx.

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