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Spiritual Lessons From Glass By Andy McClain Glassmaking is an amazing and ancient art. Would you believe some properties of glass offer an interesting analogy for the Christian life?
hroughout history, glass in its many forms has been precious and sought after. It is very beautiful, and can be formed into elaborate and elegant shapes. It is also useful in many ways. We might take glass for granted since it has become so common and we use it so extensively in our everyday lives. However, the fascinating history of glass making, the processes of glass making and the properties of glass can illustrate many interesting lessons. Glass is elementary Natural glass has existed since the beginnings of time. Man-made glass beads have been found in Egypt and Eastern Mesopotamia dating back to 3500 B.C. Glass is fairly easy to make since it requires very few ingredients. The main ingredient is molten, liquid sand (silicon dioxide). Common glass, otherwise known as soda-lime glass, is mostly sand mixed with a little soda, lime and aluminum oxide. Other types of glass are made by adding ingredients such as lead or boron.
Much like sand has to be changed into glass to make it into something useful, we also have to be changed. Romans 8:8-9 says that we must have the Holy Spirit within us to please God and be useful to Him. God is in the process of changing us so that we can be spirit beings in His Kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:42-49). Glass is durable and strong Glass may seem fragile, but it has great inherent mechanical strength and can withstand extremely high compressive stresses. As surprising as it may seem, glass is harder than most grades of unhardened steel. It is affected by few chemicals and resists most industrial and food acids. Because of this, it is used in a variety of industrial chemical plants and laboratories. So why does glass have the reputation of being fragile? This comes because of its tendency to be weakened by surface imperfections. Two things can be done to reduce and eliminate the imperfections in glass.
Like glass, we must become durable and strong with the help of God's Holy Spirit. As Ephesians 6:10 says "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." Our strength comes only from God (Psalm 31:24). We have many surface imperfections, much like glass. It takes God's Spirit to help us see and overcome our inherent weaknesses.
We also must keep away from the temptations that can "scratch" our surface and weaken us. We are told to in James 4:7, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Glass is inert If you recall from your chemistry classes, "inert" means that something is not chemically active. The molecular structure of glass does not allow it to react with other elements because it has a full outer valence shell. Its full valence shell cannot acquire or lose electrons to react with other elements. Inert can also mean peaceful and stable. These are characteristics that God wants us to have as Christians. We are to develop a peaceful nature and a stable mind. We know that "to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Romans 8:6). Isaiah 26:3-4 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You." Again, Barnes' commentary adds, "The mind that has confidence in God shall not be agitated by the trials to which it shall be subject; by persecution, poverty, sickness, want, or bereavement." Do we have a calmness of mind because of God's Spirit working with our mind, or are we troubled and anxious? Recall what David said in Psalm 119:165 when he wrote, "Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble." Knowing that God is in control should give us peace and stability each day. Glass requires heat to be formed Crushed sand, limestone and sodium carbonate must be blended and heated at temperatures near 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods of time in order to form glass. It may take up to 24 hours in a furnace to rid liquid glass of small bubbles that can cause imperfections before liquid glass is ready to be used.
The apostle Peter compared the trials that Christians must go through to build godly character as refining fires. He spoke of "the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire" (1 Peter 1:7). Later he wrote, "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy" (1 Peter 4:12-13). And like glass, we must be constantly hot with zeal. To do this, we must constantly strive to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).
Glass is brilliant The most obvious characteristic of ordinary glass is its transparency, which allows light to pass through it. This occurs because ordinary glass is homogeneous on all length scales greater than about a wavelength of visible light. As a result, glass is extremely beautiful and brilliant, especially when placed in bright light.
If we are not, then we are like the tares spoken of in the parable of Matthew 13:24-32, which are cast into the furnace of fire. Our lives must reflect God's light through the fruits of the Spirit. In conclusion, we who hope to be the bride of Christ and share eternal life with Him must learn and live these lessons. We need the qualities of character that are illustrated so vividly by the wonderful stuff we call glass. Copyright 2007 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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Keywords: glass lessons from glass stability strength refining transparent
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