POTS & FLAWS
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each 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 arrived 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 in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was
proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.
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 it 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, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's
table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
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