“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 (NIV).
We fail, we fall. We are all vulnerable. But the last few years have brought a string of cringe-worthy episodes featuring well-known Christian leaders being caught doing what they should not be doing (to say the least). Many of us worriedly wonder which great Christian leader will fall next. Big names who once received international applause saw sad endings. But this trend of putting Christian superstars on pedestals has only accentuated a timeless struggle – when the role models fall, they fall hard.
Probably, this might feel like a new thing because of social media’s prominent role. But history has recorded the fate of many mentors, leaders and great Christian men and women who have led people only to stumble and fall themselves. We see this as far back as Jesus’ time. Judas was one of the prominent disciples following Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus sent out his disciples to proclaim the Gospel and perform signs and wonders (Luke 9:1). Nowhere does it say, “They all performed miracles, signs and wonders except for Judas. The other disciples started suspecting something was wrong.” Nope.
As far as we know, Judas was right there, doing all these great things publicly along with the other disciples. The only clue the Bible provides that something was wrong with Judas before he betrayed Jesus is found in the book of John. We are told Judas used to steal money from Jesus’ ministry (John 12:6). This tells us there was something wrong and secretly brewing in the background where Judas was concerned. But publicly, all seemed well. So much so that when Jesus said someone would betray him at the last supper, none of them seemed to suspect Judas.
It must have been devastating for those who looked up to Jesus and His twelve disciples. People may have put their faith in Jesus because Judas came preaching in their town and performed signs and miracles. There are many stories of people putting their faith in Jesus because someone shared the Gospel with them, only to find out later that the person sharing the Gospel fell away from their own faith. But there is hope. 2 Corinthians 4:7 reminds us of the truth: “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
Like jars of clay, we are fragile and vulnerable containers holding precious content. Although the jars of clay may easily crack and break, the content is solid and durable, and its value does not diminish if the container breaks. Even if it is found in a broken container, a treasure is still precious. The humble jar of clay increases in value because it holds something so precious, but the value of the treasure does not decrease because of its container.
As tragic as it is when a Christian leader stumbles and falls (and it is very tragic), it is crucial to remember that the jar of clay cracked, but the treasure remains as valuable as ever. We must not buy into the lie that the container somehow overshadows the content. Of course, clay will always fall short in comparison to the greatness of the treasure it holds. In the same way, the message is more important than the messenger sent out to deliver the message. I love how Nicky Gumbel says: “If you received your faith from someone who has now lost theirs or has messed up in some way, understand that the message came to you in a jar of clay. It is not the jar that matters but the message. The treasure is the message of Jesus. It is given by the mercy of God.” (The Bible in One Year 2022)
Heavenly Father, we thank you for trusting us with this precious treasure. God, we pray against any lies that devalue the treasure of the Gospel when the jar of clay cracks or breaks. And we pray for wisdom, grace, and compassion to respond lovingly when a leader falls and stumbles. God, may we do a better job at loving imperfect and broken people when they fall while remembering that the treasure is what needs to be held onto. Help us to remember that we are all jars of clay, and we have the privilege of carrying this treasure. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen!
