The great potter, Josiah Wedgwood, received a visitor at his factory one day. A nobleman had come to see his rare and costly pieces of work. A fifteen-year-old pottery apprentice took the nobleman on a tour of the factory, explaining all the pottery processes.
The nobleman—though very brilliant—was an infidel who used vile language and made mockery of sacred subjects. At first his apprentice-guide was very shocked at the nobleman’s wicked language, but after a little while the youth began to laugh at the man’s remarks. Mr. Wedgwood, who had followed them on the tour and had heard much of the conversation, was grieved and indignant at the way in which the nobleman spoke before the boy.
When back at his office, Mr. Wedgwood picked up a specially beautiful vase. Holding it, he told the nobleman the great effort and care with which it had been made. The nobleman, charmed with the beautiful shape, color and design of the vase, reached out to take it. But just as he did, its creator let it fall, smashing it to pieces on the ground.
The angry nobleman cried, “I wanted that one for myself, but you’ve ruined it by your carelessness!”
“My lord,” said the old potter quietly, “there are things far more precious than this vase—things which, when ruined, can never be restored. I can make another vase like this for you, but you can never give back to the boy, who has just left, the innocent faith and pure heart which you have destroyed by making light of sacred things and by using impure words in his presence.”
Regarding the tender minds and hearts of those young in faith and years, let us remember the solemn warning spoken by the One who said, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me.” “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:66But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6)). How fragile are the hearts and minds of children—how easily marred!
Let’s always remember that “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:3333Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (1 Corinthians 15:33)) as we seek to bear testimony to Christ “in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:1111Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, (2 Peter 3:11)). Our blessed Lord was “holy, harmless, undefiled.” How important to walk before those we love and before the world in that way. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:1515That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:15)).
Ed.