Michael Tablada teaches about the word "refine" at lower school chapel
Michael Tablada, art teacher, spoke about the 2022-2023 Christian life theme at lower school chapel. The theme focuses on the prefix, “re-,” and Tablada taught about the word “refine.”
He invited his daughter, first grade student Catalina Tablada, to read Isaiah 48:10. The scripture says, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.”
Tablada explained to students that he likes to make pottery of metaphors for characters or themes in the Bible. He invited students to learn about the word “refine” through pottery.
“To refine is to free something of impurity, to improve, perfect, and free from moral imperfections,” defined Tablada.
To begin, he invited students to observe the clay he brought. He explained that clay comes from mountains, and if you go to the riverbank where clay is often found, it has all sorts of sticks and rocks in it.
“As a potter, by the time we get the clay it has gone through several stages of refinement, and what I am left with is a nice, smooth clay that is consistent all the way through,” reflected Tablada.
Tablada invited students to watch as he began the first stage of forming a bowl where he explained that he has to put pressure and force on the clay to make it the shape he wants it to be. He described how he must know what he wants to form and shape before he begins, just as God does when He creates our stories.
As Tablada began forming the bowl, he pointed out that pieces of clay fly off as he builds it up and shapes it. He has to stretch the clay and allow it to go through all sorts of strain and struggle, just as the Lord often does in the lives of His children.
“After this, some may say it is already a beautiful bowl, but as a potter, I know it has so much more potential than this. Each stage of the pottery process is a form of refinement, and the pot gets more and more beautiful,” stated Tablada.
For the next stage, Tablada let the pot harden. He then began to scrape off unwanted parts of the bowl. He compared this painful part of the pottery process to Joseph’s story as he went through the pain of being sold into slavery by his brothers. Tablada reminded students that God ultimately used this pain for Joseph’s good and His glory as he eventually was put in charge of the land of Egypt. He encouraged students to rejoice in their sufferings and pointed them to Romans 5:4-5 which says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
“God intends to use everything in our lives for good,” reflected Tablada.
In the final stage of pottery, the clay is put into fire so that the particles of clay melt together and turn hard like clay or glass, giving the product a glossy finish. Tablada encouraged students to remember that what comes out on the other side of what may seem like a consuming fire is something even more beautiful and more refined to call out God’s glory – just as the beautiful bowl he created.
“Try to listen for how this bad situation can make you shine His light. God loves you, and these things aren’t happening out of anything but love,” shared Tablada.
We are so thankful to be reminded of God’s truth through this beautiful demonstration of pottery.
