If you’re like my sister, Macie, you hear “apothecary cabinet” and think of that episode of Friends where Phoebe hates Pottery Barn. In reality, an apothecary cabinet is a large box with a lot of small drawers. It looks a little like a card catalog (if you don’t know what that is, ask your parents). In the past, an apothecary cabinet would be used to store medications at a pharmacy, also called an apothecary.

This particular cabinet has been a regular fixture at a local antique store for years. The owners kept post cards and other merchandise in the apothecary cabinet to sell, however the cabinet itself was not for sale. My mom and I would go to the antique store and she would look through the cabinet for post cards and comment on how much she liked the cabinet and wished it was for sale. Incidentally, when I moved into my apartment, I wanted an apothecary cabinet or something like it to use in my house. Unfortunately, they are usually very expensive and modern ones are generally of deceptively low quality. I wanted something that would be sturdy and practical. Macie told me to wait on buying something that wasn’t perfect because the perfect one would come along.

Fast forward to this past weekend. The antique store is closing and selling off all their inventory. Macie and I went to the store to look for some interesting finds. After drooling over some chairs and a few cigar boxes, we came to the apothecary cabinet. For the first time ever, the cabinet had a price tag. After thinking about it for at least four seconds, I decided to buy it.

The metal cabinet is weathered. Its paint is chipped, the inside has some rust, but it’s still standing strong. It has 27 small drawers, each sturdy and useful. The whole thing sits on a wooden platform with a large drawer that I think may have been from an old dresser or something along those lines. A modern replica of this same cabinet would not be nearly as good. The ones I was able to find online are made from thin particle board. A critique of them was that they would just fall apart after a short time for seemingly no reason. Most of them only appear to have multiple drawers, but actually have swinging double cabinet doors with drawer veneers on the front. My cabinet is authentic and serves its purpose authentically.

This made me think about my life as a follower of Jesus Christ. I believe He has given me a purpose, which is to love Him and spread His word. Sometimes, I am like a modern apothecary cabinet. On the outside, I look sturdy and purposeful, but inside, I am flimsy and empty. In other words, I can be deceptive to those around me. I can appear to be living a life I’m not. We’ve all been told it’s what’s on the inside that counts. We’ve been told when times get tough, you’ll see how strong you are. If I am flimsy and empty, I won’t be able to stand up to anything. But, if I allow myself to be made sturdy, I can withstand so much more. I may come out with some chipped paint and a bit of rust, but I will be standing, beautiful and purposeful for years to come.

Maybe I’m reading too much into this stately piece of furniture, but maybe that’s okay. It has definitely made me think.

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