Bible Sayings

The saying ‘Feet of clay’ refers to ‘A failing or weakness in a person's character’, as in The media are always looking for a popular idol's feet of clay. This expression comes from the Bible (Daniel 2:31–33), where the prophet interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a statue with a head of gold and feet of iron clay.

The older I get, the more difficult I find it not to be cynical about other people. I would imagine that my experience is not untypical of many others too. When we are young, we tend to look up to others: initially it is our parents, then perhaps our teachers at school, or perhaps a Sunday School teacher or even a minister at church, and may be later still a politician or a leader of industry. But as we grow older, we discover that all these men and women whom we idolised have feet of clay. There seems to be a skeleton in everybody’s closet. Or if not a skeleton, then we discover that they are beset with all kinds of warts or foibles. An American author, Ambrose Bierce, once said:  “A saint” is “a dead sinner revised and edited”.

The term ‘feet of clay’ comes from a troubling dream in which Nebuchadnezzar saw a gigantic, extraordinarily brilliant and awe-inspiring statue.The head was made of gold, the upper torso and arms were of silver, the lower torso and thighs of bronze, the legs of Iron, and the feet a mix or iron and of clay. The clay made the statue “brittle” , so that when a stone “from the mountain” struck the statue, the whole statue collapsed sand, amazingly, all its components were blown away like chaff, “so that not a trace of them could be found”.

We talk about the Greek general and ruler, Alexander the Great. He himself certainly thought he was great. According to tradition, he wept because he had no more worlds to conquer. He wasn’t right about that. Alexander died at the age of 32. What killed him? It is believed to have been malaria caused by the bite of the small mosquito. Sometimes small things can destroy what we think of as great.

Knowing my failings, knowing my fears, 

Seeing my sorrow, drying my tears, 

Jesus recall me, me re-ordain,

You know I love you, use me again;

You know I love you, use me again.

I have no secrets unknown to you,

No special graces, talents are few;

Yet your intention I would fulfil,

You know I love you, ask what you will; 

You know I love you, ask what you will.

For the far future I cannot see, 

Promise your presence, travel with me, 

Sunshine or shadows? I cannot tell; 

You know I love you, all will be well; 

You know I love you, all will be well.

John Gowans (1934-2012)