It could be termed; ‘Tickle Me Tummy Missions’. That is any effort to do good for others that leaves me with a sense of self importance, but neglects to acknowledge Christ. I take a lot of good pictures of me helping poor, hungry, destitute people and plaster it on my FaceBook page, and everyone marvels at it. I Tweet, Twitter and flutter away my time, flattering myself about how good I am and people like it. They feel good for giving me money to do it, I feel good for doing it, and it helps my resume’ and future job prospects. Everyone wins!
‘Tickle Me Tummy Missions’ is an easy habit to develop. As I examine all of my so called good deeds, the so called sacrifice of things that were not mine to begin with, the Lord continues to help me see that at my best, it is filthy rags if they don’t allow the sweet aroma of Jesus the Christ to be preeminent (Isaiah 64:6).
John Piper writing in Don’t Waste Your Life; calls it ‘condemnation with a kind face’. In that he is referring to any good deed that leaves the gospel of Christ at the periphery, not at the center of its purpose. It is easy to interpret the things we do as good because the world likes the humanitarian spin of things. If it does not proclaim Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, it is not worthy to be called good, because there is none that is good, but God (Luke 18:19).
This book contains recollections and revelations God has allowed me to call to mind. My Heavenly Father has been very gracious to me, by allowing me not to dwell on my misdeeds, of which there are many, nor be overwhelmed by the things that tickle me tummy. Neither serves His divine purpose. Broken Pottery is a vessel that is yielded to the Master’s Hand, submissive to His will.
A vessel is broken by the potter to help it realize that it is created, broken and recreated to glorify the hands that fashion and refashion. I pray that this book will allow all who read it to take joy in being used for God’s glory and thus for His purpose. Nothing else matters, no matter how good it makes us feel or look to others. We were made from clay so that we could be broken and made whole again. Be broken pottery, so that God can refashion you.
Jeremiah 18: 4-6 God told Jeremiah, “Up on your feet! Go to the potter’s house. When you get there, I’ll tell you what I have to say.” So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot. Then God’s Message came to me: “Can’t I do just as this potter does, people of Israel?” God’s Decree! “Watch this potter. In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you, people of Israel. (The Message)