Talking Back to the Potter

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’” (Isaiah 45:9 NLT)

This scripture passage convicts me. I’m afraid I’m often guilty of talking back to the Potter.

I’ve always been the shy kid on the edge of the group. I would much rather listen than speak, and it takes a lot for me to come out of the shadows and into the spotlight. I don’t mind getting up and speaking in front of people if given ample time to prepare, but I want to crawl under a rock if you call on me randomly to share. College classes were a nightmare in this regard, let me tell you!

In a world where the ideal cross-cultural worker is bold and outgoing, courageous and conversational, I don’t fit.

The Lord and I have had many conversations about this. I love people and I love God and want to obey him when he tells me to go. Yet when I look at the needs of the world and my own strengths and weaknesses, so often I want to cry out, “WHY did you make me this way? Wouldn’t it have been more efficient to call someone who enjoys talking with people, who overflows with compassion or has different gifts?”

I don’t think I’m alone in this. We can all talk back to the God who formed us in our mother’s womb, who fearfully and wonderfully crafted us top to bottom and delights in calling us his (Psalm 139:13–14). Instead of seeing our belovedness and beauty, we look around at others and get bogged down in comparison. If only I wasn’t this way or that; if only I was more like this person or that person.

It can be hard to see our strengths sometimes. This feels self-centered. Shouldn’t I focus on others instead of lifting myself up?

Yet if we are to truly celebrate the creative design of the Potter, we must acknowledge both the fragile beginnings of our lumps of clay and the intricate beauty of what he is forming us to be.

Maybe you can quickly list your strengths, but this is hard for me. Sometimes it takes educating ourselves, reading books and taking personality quizzes, and listening well when someone speaks words of affirmation.

Several years ago, I went through a strengths and weaknesses exercise with the global leadership team in my organization. It opened my eyes and revolutionized the way that my teammate and I worked together.

When I hear a new idea, before it is fully formed, I immediately start thinking through the implications and potential pitfalls. What will it take for this idea to become a reality? What could go wrong and how can we prevent that from happening?

My teammate is a creative visionary and so good at brainstorming. One of the things we had to learn was that my asking a bazillion questions at this stage wasn’t the most helpful. While I was finding the holes in order to make sure they were plugged and nothing got lost in the process, it sounded like I was completely dismissing or shooting down her idea. Sometimes brainstorming just needs to be brainstorming! When we realized this, it helped our communication tremendously and we were able to lean on each other’s unique strengths. I learned to pause and listen, and she learned to say, “I just need to throw some ideas out there.”

Instead of adding this to my list of complaints of the “Why am I this way” variety, it became an opportunity to grow and learn.

Our unique gifts and strengths, our personality quirks and rough edges, are not cause for boasting or lamenting in comparison to others. Instead, we can celebrate the creativity and beauty that God has shaped in each of us, pointing back to him as the giver of beauty and every good gift.

Do you ever feel like talking back to the Potter about his chosen design for you? What has he taught you recently about yourself—your strengths or weaknesses, your personality—that has helped you grow and learn?