The Man God Made You to BeSample

Broken but Useful

Have you ever looked at yourself in a broken mirror and seen it as a metaphor for how you see yourself?

Broken. Shattered. Useless.

This view has the ability to destroy our identity as Christian men.

I know I have felt this way many times in my life, even telling myself that I was too broken for God to use me anymore.

But is that how Jesus sees us?

In Mark 6, Jesus takes His disciples, the group He had handpicked, and “gave them authority over impure spirits” (Mark 6:7 NIV).

Let’s remind ourselves about who these guys were: A few fishermen. A zealot. A tax collector. Even a dirty businessman. All of them are imperfect men.

And what does Jesus do?

He gives them His authority to speak for Him and do His good work.

Why would He do that?

Because a man’s identity does not come from a broken mirror, it comes from God.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV), Paul writes, "…we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

Did you catch it?

Paul tells us that God keeps His “treasure” (Himself) in “jars of clay” (us).

Why?

“…to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

Over the last week, we have examined our identity as Christian men more as a reflection outward than how we see ourselves inward. The challenge is to move forward now, knowing that our broken identity is exactly what God sees as the perfect hiding spot for His treasure.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You that You see everything about me and love me. Help me wrap my identity in You. Amen.

Reflection: Take time to thank Jesus for choosing to hide His treasure within you.

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