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 are 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. So as we
seek
ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He
has
appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge
them,
and allow Him to take advantage of
them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.
Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength,
and
that "In Him every one of God's promises is a Yes."