A Christian on the Shelf
Anyone who knows me well knows that vintage or antique glass, especially faceted lead crystal, pushes my happy button. I also love the color and design of Murano and Murano-style glass. Pair my admiration of glass with my enjoyment of antiquing and thrifting and add my lack of discipline when I spot a bargain, and you’ll understand how pieces often end up coming home with me.
After a few recent shopping trips, I found myself with several unusual pieces and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them. A beautiful, heavy lead crystal ashtray, a small relish dish and a swirled blue margarita glass all ticked my checkboxes where beauty and bargain were concerned, but what to do with them? Ours is a non-smoking home, I seldom pull out the china and crystal for meals, the glass didn’t match anything else, and my display cabinets are filling up. What to do with them?
I was musing over this when I noticed that Ralphie looked thirsty. Ralphie is my Christmas Cactus, given to me by a dear friend in December of 24 when I was battling cancer. I’ll admit it, when the plant showed up I appreciated the love behind it, but not the cactus itself. I have a long history of killing house plants despite my best efforts.
Years ago, when I was bemoaning the death of yet another pair of porch plants and wondering why I couldn’t manage to keep a plant alive, a friend looked me in the eye and said, “Karlene, they don’t bark.”
I accepted that wisdom and hadn’t had a plant since, until Ralphie. I’m quite proud of our relationship, however, as I’ve kept him alive and well for over a year. He bloomed in January, and is actually putting out little buds again!
As I watered Ralphie, succulents jumped into my mind. I’ve heard they’re very hearty. Suddenly, I knew what I wanted to do with my recent glass purchases.
A trip to my local home store sent me home stocked with soil and so many succulents that when I tried to decide which plant would go where, I realized I had more succulents than glass to put them in. Rather than returning any of the plants, I went to my china cabinet and pulled out another piece of lead crystal.
Two hours and much effort later, I had four beautiful little succulent gardens, tucked into vintage glassware which I had given new roles. My vintage pieces, which were destined to take up space and be casually admired on occasion, are suddenly adding to the ambiance of my home. I’ve had a few guests see them and remark on how pretty my “planters” are.
Looking at those old pieces being used in a completely new way, I found myself thinking about the ways God changes us—not simply what we do, but who we are. A familiar verse came to mind...
It was 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
I started thinking about how my life can sometimes compare to a piece of crystal in a display cabinet. The pieces sit behind glass doors, pretty enough if someone takes the time to look at them, but otherwise, they’re just . . . there.
I’ve been a follower of Christ for much of my life, but I am far from perfect. It can be very easy to be a “Christian on a shelf,” sitting quietly in my space, reading my Bible, saying my prayers, going to church, lifting my hands in worship. Those are all good things. But none of them were meant to leave me unchanged.
My glass pieces were all perfectly fine. They were pretty. They weren’t broken or worthless. They were all capable of doing the job they were designed to do. But if I’d placed them in the cabinet, their only use would have been to occasionally sparkle at someone who glanced their way.
Ephesians 4:22–24 tells us, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
How often do I do that? Do I allow myself to fall into bad habits and “easy Christianity” that does nothing to further God’s kingdom? Do I casually tell people, “I’ll be praying for you” because it’s what Christians say to each other, or do I approach the throne on their behalf? Do I read my Bible, mining for truths in God’s Word and application to my life, or do I quickly skim “today’s reading” so I can mark off that checkbox? I was made for more!
We are commanded, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
Am I conforming, or am I continually working to renew my mind? If I look to Jesus and allow my mind to be transformed, then God will continue to show me new pathways and purposes for my life.
I don’t want to be sparkling crystal sitting on a shelf, pretty to look at but overall useless. I want to be equipped and ready for God to use me in new ways!
