Bonita Cohn on thu 11 feb 99
A friend sent me this story.
CRACK POT HAVE VALUE
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
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 in his masters 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 masters 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 masters 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 the Pot
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 pots 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
masters 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, God will use our flaws to grace the table. In the great
economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your
flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty.
Know that in our weakness we find our strength.
Thanks to Janis Arch
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