TO ALL CRACKPOTS ...
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 two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only
one and a half pots of water to 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
table.
In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
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