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 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 the 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.
