The Great Potter and His Work
“[Become] a vessel for an honorable purpose, . . . prepared for every good work.”—2 TIMOTHY 2:21.
1, 2. (a) How was God’s creation of man and woman an outstanding work? (b) For what purpose did the Great Potter bring forth Adam and Eve?
JEHOVAH is the Great Potter. A masterpiece of his creation was our first parent, Adam. The Bible tells us: “Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul,” that is, a “breathing creature.” (Genesis 2:7, footnote) That first human creation was perfect, formed in the very image of God, an evidence of His divine wisdom and love of true righteousness and justice.
2 Using material from Adam’s rib, God also molded a complement and helper for man—woman. Eve’s pristine loveliness transcended even that of the most comely of womankind today. (Genesis 2:21-23) Moreover, the first human couple were given bodies and faculties designed perfectly for accomplishing their assigned project of making this earth into a paradise. They were also provided with the power to carry out God’s command stated at Genesis 1:28: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.” Ultimately, this global garden was to be populated by billions of joyful humans, bound together in the kind of love that is “a perfect bond of union.”—Colossians 3:14.
3. How did our first parents become vessels of dishonor, and with what result?
3 Sadly, our first parents willfully chose to rebel against the authority of their Sovereign Creator, the Great Potter. Their course became as described at Isaiah 29:15, 16: “Woe to those who are going very deep in concealing counsel from Jehovah himself, and whose deeds have occurred in a dark place, while they say: ‘Who is seeing us, and who is knowing of us?’ . . . Should the potter himself be accounted just like the clay? For should the thing made say respecting its maker: ‘He did not make me’? And does the very thing formed actually say respecting its former: ‘He showed no understanding’?” Their waywardness brought disaster—the sentence of eternal death. Moreover, the entire human race that sprang from them inherited sin and death. (Romans 5:12, 18) The beauty of the Great Potter’s creation became deeply scarred.
4. For what honorable purpose may we serve?
4 However, even in our present imperfect state, we descendants of sinful Adam can praise Jehovah in the words of Psalm 139:14: “I shall laud you because in a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, as my soul is very well aware.” How sad, though, that the Great Potter’s original handiwork has been so terribly blemished!
The Potter Extends His Work
5. How was the Great Potter’s skill to be exercised?
5 Happily, our Creator’s skill as a Potter was to be exercised far beyond the molding of his initial creation of mankind. The apostle Paul tells us: “O man, who, then, really are you to be answering back to God? Shall the thing molded say to him that molded it, ‘Why did you make me this way?’ What? Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for an honorable use, another for a dishonorable use?”—Romans 9:20, 21.
6, 7. (a) How do many today choose to be molded for dishonor? (b) How are the righteous molded for an honorable use?
6 Yes, some of the Great Potter’s work will be molded for an honorable use, and some, for a dishonorable use. Those who choose to go along with the world as it plunges ever deeper into the morass of ungodliness are molded in such a way that will mark them for destruction. When the glorious King, Christ Jesus, comes for judgment, such dishonorable vessels will include all obstinate goatlike humans who will, as Matthew 25:46 states, “depart into everlasting cutting-off.” But sheeplike “righteous ones,” those molded for an “honorable” use, will inherit “everlasting life.”
7 Humbly, these righteous ones will have submitted to divine molding. They have entered into God’s way of life. They have accepted the counsel found at 1 Timothy 6:17-19: “Rest [your] hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God, who furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment.” They have applied themselves “to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share, safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future, in order that they may get a firm hold on the real life.” They are molded by divine truth and exercise immovable faith in Jehovah’s provision through Christ Jesus, who “gave himself a corresponding ransom” in order to restore all that was lost through Adam’s sin. (1 Timothy 2:6) How willingly, then, we should submit to Paul’s advice to “clothe [ourselves] with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new [molded] according to the image of the One who created it”!—Colossians 3:10.
What Kind of Vessel Will You Be?
8. (a) What determines the sort of vessel that a person becomes? (b) What two factors shape one’s molding?
8 What determines the sort of vessel that a person becomes? His attitude and conduct. These are shaped first by the desires and inclinations of the heart. Wise King Solomon said: “The heart of earthling man may think out his way, but Jehovah himself does the directing of his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) Second, they are shaped by the things heard and seen, associations and experiences. How important, therefore, that we heed the counsel: “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.” (Proverbs 13:20) As 2 Peter 1:16 warns us, we must avoid following “artfully contrived false stories,” or according to Knox’s Roman Catholic version, “fables of man’s invention.” These would include many of apostate Christendom’s teachings and festivals.
9. How can we respond favorably to the molding by the Great Potter?
9 According to our response, then, God can mold us. Humbly before Jehovah, we can repeat David’s prayer: “Search through me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me, and know my disquieting thoughts, and see whether there is in me any painful way, and lead me in the way of time indefinite.” (Psalm 139:23, 24) Jehovah is having the Kingdom message preached. Our hearts have responded to the good news and to his further leadings with appreciation. Through his organization he extends to us various privileges related to preaching the good news; let us take hold of these and cherish them.—Philippians 1:9-11.
10. How should we exert ourselves in following spiritual programs?
10 It is so important that we pay constant attention to God’s Word, following a daily program of Bible reading and making the Scriptures and Jehovah’s service a basis for discussion in our families and among our friends. The morning worship program conducted at the breakfast table by each Bethel family and missionary group of Jehovah’s Witnesses usually includes, on alternate weeks, a brief reading of the Bible or of the current Yearbook. Could your family have a similar arrangement? What benefits we all receive, too, through our associations in the Christian congregation, in our meetings together, and especially by our participation in the weekly Watchtower study!
Molded to Cope With Trials
11, 12. (a) How may we apply James’ counsel regarding trials in our daily lives? (b) How does the experience of Job encourage us to keep integrity?
11 In our daily lives, God allows certain situations to arise, some of which we may find difficult. How should we view these? As James 4:8 counsels, never let us grow bitter, but let us draw close to God, trusting in him with all our heart, confident that as we ‘draw close to him, he will draw close to us.’ True, we will have to endure hardships and testings, but they are permitted as contributing to our molding, with a happy outcome. James 1:2, 3 assures us: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith works out endurance.”
12 James also says: “When under trial, let no one say: ‘I am being tried by God.’ For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone. But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:13, 14) Our trials may be many and varied, but as was the case with Job, they all play a part in our molding. What grand assurance the Scriptures give us at James 5:11: “Look! We pronounce happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.” As vessels in the hands of the Great Potter, may we keep integrity at all times, with Joblike confidence in the outcome!—Job 2:3, 9, 10; 27:5; 31:1-6; 42:12-15.
Molding Our Young Ones
13, 14. (a) When should parents start molding their children, and with what final product in view? (b) What happy results can you cite?
13 Parents can share in the molding of their young ones, right from the children’s infancy, and what splendid integrity-keepers our youths can turn out to be! (2 Timothy 3:14, 15) This has been true even when the tests were extreme. Some years ago, when persecution was at its height in an African land, a trustworthy family cared for the clandestine printing of The Watchtower in a backyard shed. One day soldiers were coming down the street, searching from house to house for young men to induct into the army. There was still time for the two young boys in this family to hide, but the resulting search by the soldiers would surely uncover the printing press. This could lead to torture or possibly the killing of the entire family. What could be done? The two boys spoke up, boldly citing John 15:13: “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends.” They insisted on staying in the living room. The soldiers would find them and no doubt subject them to cruel torture or even kill them when they refused to be inducted. But then they would search no further. The printing press and the other family members would be spared. There was, however, a remarkable outcome. The soldiers actually skipped this one house, going on to the others! Those human vessels molded for an honorable use survived, along with the printing press, to continue publishing timely spiritual food. One of the two boys and his sister are now serving at Bethel; he is still operating the old machine.
14 Young ones can be taught how to pray, and God answers their prayers. An outstanding instance of this occurred during the Rwanda massacres. When a six-year-old and her parents had been readied by rebels for execution by hand grenade, the daughter prayed loudly and fervently that they might be spared for further service to Jehovah. The would-be murderers were moved to spare them, saying, “We cannot kill you because of this little girl.”—1 Peter 3:12.
15. Of what corruptive influences did Paul warn?
15 Most of our youngsters do not have to cope with situations as difficult as those described above, but there are many testings that they face at school and in corrupt societies today: bad language, pornography, degraded entertainment, and peer pressure to engage in wrong practices are running riot in many places. Repeatedly, the apostle Paul warned against these influences.—1 Corinthians 5:6; 15:33, 34; Ephesians 5:3-7.
16. How may one become a vessel for an honorable use?
16 After referring to vessels kept “some for an honorable purpose but others for a purpose lacking honor,” Paul says: “If, therefore, anyone keeps clear of the latter ones, he will be a vessel for an honorable purpose, sanctified, useful to his owner, prepared for every good work.” So let us encourage our youth to watch their associations. Let them “flee from the desires incidental to youth, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who call upon the Lord out of a clean heart.” (2 Timothy 2:20-22) A family program for “building one another up” can be invaluable in molding our youth. (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Proverbs 22:6) Daily Bible reading and study, using suitable Society publications, could be a fine help.
Molding for One and All
17. How will discipline mold us, and with what joyous outcome?
17 In order to mold us, Jehovah gives counsel from his Word and through his organization. Never resist such godly counsel! Respond wisely to it, and let it shape you for honorable use by Jehovah. Proverbs 3:11, 12 advises: “The discipline of Jehovah, O my son, do not reject; and do not abhor his reproof, because the one whom Jehovah loves he reproves, even as a father does a son in whom he finds pleasure.” Further fatherly counsel is provided at Hebrews 12:6-11: “Whom Jehovah loves he disciplines . . . True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.” The main channel for such discipline must be God’s inspired Word.—2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
18. As to repentance, what do we learn from Luke chapter 15?
18 Jehovah is also merciful. (Exodus 34:6) Where heartfelt repentance is shown over even the most serious sin, he extends forgiveness. Even modern-day ‘prodigals’ can be molded into vessels for an honorable use. (Luke 15:22-24, 32) Our sins may not be as serious as those of the prodigal. But our humble response to Scriptural counsel will always lead to our being molded to becoming vessels for honorable use.
19. How may we continue to serve as honorable vessels in Jehovah’s hands?
19 When we first learned the truth, we showed a willingness to let Jehovah shape us. We quit worldly ways, began to put on the new personality, and became dedicated and baptized Christians. We obeyed the counsel of Ephesians 4:20-24, ‘putting away the old personality which conformed to our former course of conduct, with its deceptive desires, and putting on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.’ May we personally continue to be pliable in the hands of Jehovah, the Great Potter, serving always as vessels for his honorable use!
In Review
◻ What is the Great Potter’s purpose toward our earth?
◻ How may you be molded for an honorable use?
◻ In what way may our children be molded?
◻ What view should we take of discipline?
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Will you be molded for an honorable use or be rejected?
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Young ones can be molded from infancy