A
water bearer had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole
which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack
in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered
a full portion of water.
At
the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house,
the cracked pot always arrived only half full. For two years
this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a
half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the
perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, fulfilled in the
design for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed
of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was unable to
accomplish what it had been made to do.
After
two years of enduring this bitter shame, the pot spoke to the
water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself and
I apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed
of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver
only half my load because this crack in my side causes water
to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because
of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get
full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The
water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion
he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice
the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up
the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming
the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and was cheered
somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt the old
shame because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the
pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The
bearer said to the pot, "Did you not notice that there were flowers
only on your side of the path, and not on the other pot's side?
That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took
advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path,
and every day while we've walked back from the stream, you've
watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful
flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just
the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each
of us has flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow
Him, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table.
In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid
of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you, too, can bring something
beautiful to the Father.
| Authors
Details: Unknown Author |
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