Jeanne Melchior on sat 27 mar 99
There hasn't been a thread on pot stories lately, and this one was recently
sent me. It touched me and I thought i'd pass it along. Sincerely, jeanne
melchior
---------------------- Forwarded by Jeanne Melchior/VUMAIL on 03/26/99
12:22 PM ---------------------------
"AWAY Facility/VM" on 03/17/99 08:30:09 AM
Please respond to KnowsUKay@aol.com
To: Jeanne Melchior/VUMAIL
cc:
Subject: Cracked Pot
Received: from imo14.mx.aol.comby VUNET.VINU.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R3) with
TCP;
Wed, 17 Mar 99 08:15:55 EST
Received: from KnowsUKay@aol.com
by imo14.mx.aol.com (IMOv19.3) id dSTa008543;
Wed, 17 Mar 1999 08:10:29 -0500 (EST)
From: KnowsUKay@aol.com
Message-ID: <38e3ca82.36efa9c5@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 08:10:29 EST
Mime-Version: 1.0
Subject: Cracked Pot
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
X-Mailer: AOL for Macintosh sub 53
THE CRACKED POT
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 master's house. Of course,
the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
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 hesaid, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to
notice the beautifulflowers 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 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 earth's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don'tbe afraid
of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty.
Know that in our weakness we find our strength.
| |
|
