Devotions for the Less Than Perfect

Dirty Waterpots

Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons a piece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
—John 2:6–7

We have the story behind Jesus’s first miracle. He is in Cana at a wedding with His disciples. While it is never mentioned who is getting married, it is interesting to note that Mary, Jesus’s mother, was involved in getting more wine, which meant it was probably a close family member. Also, interesting is that when she went to get wine, she approached Jesus, first. Maybe that is a good lesson for us – to approach Him for help before we run elsewhere? But back to our story.

Hebrew weddings were not much unlike weddings today, where there may be hundreds in attendance. However, they were known to last a week or even longer. That’s a little too long, if you ask me, but no one ever asked me. Regardless, this particular wedding ran out of wine before it was over. Oops. When Mary, Jesus’s mother, was asked to get more wine, she approached Jesus with that need. How did Jesus respond? Did He ask for them to bring the empty wineskins that had recently been used up? Did He ask them to bring the best pitchers—ones that had been served at the tables already? Did He ask for them to at least bring clean glasses? No. He ordered them to bring the waterpots, the waterpots that were used for cleansing as people arrived. This was a wedding with enough guests to drink up all the wine before the celebration was over. Guests who had walked far in the sandy, dirty, desert to get there and stopped to use water out of these waterpots to wash before coming in the door.

I want everyone to get the picture here. The wedding was out of wine, and Jesus’s mother must have known what Jesus was capable of because she approached Him with the need for more wine. Jesus responded not by requesting the empty wineskins to refill them but by requesting the dirty waterpots. We all know the result. The servants filled the waterpots to the brim with water, drew some out according to His command, and took it to the master of the feast, who declared it the best wine of the feast. Wow. We have the first documented miracle of Jesus in His earthly ministry, but I believe we have more than that.

Jesus used the dirty waterpots. Are we not unlike them? Are we not, as humans, full of “dirty water”? We’ve been used, we’ve been walked on, and we’re full of everyone’s trash. But when Jesus looks at us, He does not see the “dirty pot.” He sees the pot that is waiting to be filled with His Living Water that can be turned into the best wine. The wine that, when presented to the Master of the feast, our Heavenly Father, is pure and sweet, the tastiest wine of the feast.

Are you willing to be vulnerable enough to be a “dirty pot” for Jesus to fill? Remember: He didn’t ask for the fine china or even clean glasses. For Jesus’s first recorded miracle, He took the dirtiest and made it the best.

On the final wedding day, what kind of wine are you going to be when presented to the Master of the feast? The best wine will be that which is from the dirty waterpots and filled with the Living Water from the miracle worker who sees beyond the filthy water.