| 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's 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 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 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. In God's 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.
~Author Unknown~ |
