The Cracked Pot

Author Unknown

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 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 masters 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 walked 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.

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.

We are all Cracked Pots in our own special
way and we do not always realize the
joy we bring to others. We do have an
obligation to share our goodness so others
may benefit from it, if they choose to, in
some way be it small or large.