Dixie Cup Grace

I recently got some commentary on my social media saying something to the effect of, “you really are not that great…” Ouch – right?!

After some “ouch” recovery, I actually thought it was kind of funny. Because the truth is, this person was so right in a way – apart from Him, we can do nothing. Apart from Him, we are truly “not that great”(John 15:4-5). But the beauty is that we are NEVER apart from Love and we need to stay connected to that transcendent reality. God truly does use the foolish things to confound the wise and the weak things to confound the mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27).

How many of you have thought, “I could have done that better!”? Be honest. And the truth is, that you really probably could! But God apparently didn’t choose you or me for that particular assignment He chose someone else for! He chose a “foolish thing”. When Love calls you to do something, it was His idea – whether or not someone else could “do it better”. Really, Jesus does get to be Lord.

It is a test of our hearts. Can we stay humble and support someone else when we could do it better? This humble place is truly a path of promotion.

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
– 1 Peter 5:5-7 (King James Version)

We must learn to settle down in the security of who Love made us to be and what He has called us to do, without competition or jealousy regarding others’ calls. If God has called you to do something you or others think someone else could do better, who are we to argue? Who are we to challenge one another in the call that God authored?

4 Who are you to judge the [a]servant of another? To his own [b]master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
– Romans 14:4 (New American Standard Bible)

The truth is that the treasure lies inside the vessels – the vessels are not the source of the treasure. We are incalculably intrinsically valuable because we are a creation of Love, but we are not the source of our value.

Sometimes as vessels, we look like Dixie cups. Other times, we look like Waterford Crystal and gold goblets.

20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?
– Romans 9:20-22 (New American Standard Bible)

We contain Love and His glory that He wants to release in the earth realm (Colossians 1:27). Apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value (John 15:4-5).

So let’s settle down and trust Love with our call and bringing it to pass. We can also relax and trust Love with others’ calls and Him bringing those to pass.

Dixie Cups and Waterford Crystal Goblets unite! We are carrying and releasing Love Himself to the entire world!

For more on how to discover your unique purpose, check out my book, Marked by Love.