The Cracked Pot
A water bearer in
India had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which he carried across
his neck. One of the pots was perfectly made and never leaked. The other pot had
a crack in it and by the time the water bearer reached his master's house it had
leaked much of it's water and was only half full.
For a full 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. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,
and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made
to do.
After two years of
what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day
by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to 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 this cheered it some. But at
the end of the trail, it still felt bad 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 notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path,
but 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 walk 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
our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, God will
use our flaws to grace his table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
Don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of
beauty. Know that in our weakness we
find our strength.
Author Unknown