On our recent trip to Greece, and specifically to the island of Lesvos, Kim and found a pottery shop filled with beautiful handcrafted pottery. Inside was an older man setting up for the day with whom I began to speak in my very minimal Greek. I told him that my grandparents were from the island and from the town that his shop was in, Mantamados. After a bit, he brought some pieces out to show us, and when I picked one up I realized it was yet warm. It was right out of his kiln. He then signaled for me to follow him into his workroom, showing me the kiln from which the items had just come. What I found out next astounded me: he was a fifth generation potter.
I couldn’t imagine that his trade had been passed down to him through so many generations. That meant that his craft of making pottery had begun with his great-great grandfather—which may go back as far as the late 1700’s. To me that’s astounding! To think that somewhere along the line there was a father who taught his son the craft of pottery—who then passed it onto his son, and then that son to his son, and that son to his son! So today, here was this man, Stelios Stamatis (that was his name), doing the very same thing that his great-great grandfather had done so many years before: making beautiful pottery!
To me, it’s a picture of the influence one’s life can have, not just on their moment in time, but on generations and time to come. After all, I’m pretty sure that Stelios’s great-great grandfather had no idea that one day his great-great grandson would be continuing his craft. He may not have even been sure that after his death his son would continue the craft. Yet, here we were so many years, decades, even a couple of centuries later holding these beautiful pieces of pottery that had just come out of the kiln; pieces of pottery that had been made by this fifth generation potter.
I’m reminded of the Psalmist’s words: “Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!” (Psalm 22:30-31)
Notice how the psalmist looked ahead to generations that were not yet born, believing that what God was doing in his life would be passed down to even them. It seems that he understood the influence one’s life can have on generations to come and thus the importance of passing on a knowledge of God and his incredible works.
So I must ask myself, what will be the influence of my life on the generations to come? After the years have passed and my name is forgotten, will my life and faith have had any kind of influence for God and his kingdom on those who come behind me?
Most of all, I’m thankful today for those who have gone before me and who have passed on to me a knowledge of the Lord and his wonderful works. I hope I can do to the same for others—even for “a people yet to be born.”
Have a great day!
- Pastor Tim Harris
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