Unfinished Business

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I’ve been thinking about this image all week.

It’s another image that was presented to me at the Prepare conference earlier this week.

Sure, I’ve heard people talk before about “being clay in God’s hands” and recalling different elements from the story of the Potter’s House in the book of Jeremiah.

But this week I heard something new.

Or maybe it wasn’t new, but I had ears to hear it this time.

The presenter talked about how the potter, when throwing a pot — or working a block of clay on their wheel — will never let go of that clay.

They will always keep at least one hand on the clay at all times.

Even when the pot falls, or bends, or becomes something other than what they desire — the potter never takes their hands off the clay.

Why?

Well, in part, because it’s spinning on a rapidly moving wheel… so if they did let go, the clay would likely go flying across the room — creating a mess they would have to clean up.

But the primary reason is because they are not done yet.

Just because things didn’t turn out they way they had hoped doesn’t mean that they are giving up on the project.

So they remain engaged with the clay.

They don’t take their hands off of it.

They continue to work.

And the parallels for how God remains engaged with each of us in the midst of becoming who God wants us to be is so apparent.

But given the nature of what we do in college ministry… I have found myself wondering if we are one of the hands that God desires to use to “hold on” to students.

I don’t want to be accused of over-estimating our roles in the lives of our students — but I don’t want to underestimate it either.

What if a part of our work is to never give up on students — I mean really never give up on them.

What if a part of our work is to somehow “keep a hand on them at all times” during their years on campus.

For me, I feel some level of tension with some of Jesus remarks about, “if they receive you, go in and stay a while; but if they don’t move on and brush the dust from your feet.” But I still sit with it.

For me, the thought of trying to “keep ahold” of almost 7000 students seems like an awfully large task — I wonder if maybe I could limit my “holding on” to just those students who choose to get involved with our ministry. Those students I have had some level of engagement with already. A certain degree of familiarity with “the clay.”

But I don’t know.

Somehow I don’t believe that’s what God desires.

Somehow that seems like the easy way out.

What do you think?

 

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About the Author

Guy Chmieleski

Guy is the Founder of FaithONCampus.com. He is also the University Minister, at Belmont University, located in Nashville, TN. FaithONCampus.com is designed with campus and college ministers in mind, and is here to serve as: a resource, catalyst for conversations and encouragement for our shared work with today’s college students.

  • Nathan Byrd

    Good post, but it’s not really true. I’m a potter (art major in college with an emphasis in pottery). When making pots on the wheel I often let go of the pot – with both hands. Sometimes I stop the wheel and go do something else to let the form set up a bit before working/reworking it again. Sometimes I let a pot dry to “leather hard” before placing it back on the wheel to be trimmed or adding a handle, spout, lid, etc. 
    I have used pottery as an example or an allusion many times in the past when speaking to students – I feel it is a perfect illustration for discipleship. The best parallel for me is that both are a process that are individual in nature. Just as God works with each of us differently – yes there are similarities – I work with pots different depending upon what I am making, the nature of the type of clay I am using, and the effects I want to achieve on the finished pot. Often the clay (type and condition) is a large determinate of the outcome in my work. For instance, working with porcelain clay demands a much more tender touch than does stoneware or earthenware clays. I also like to keep what many would call imperfections in my work. I want to see the process in the finished piece; thus, I leave in tool marks and finger prints on my pots to be seen and felt when used. 
    As examples I’ve attached two pictures of pots I’ve done. The small brown cup is only glazed on the inside. Tool marks and finger prints are viable on the surface. The dark green jar is covered with a glaze made from ashes (from my home fireplace). It also has white clay “slip” beneath the glaze in various areas to give more dimension and personality to the piece. As in the cup, tool marks, finger and hand marks are all visible on the surface. Note the rough edges as well. 

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