A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the end
of a pole which he carried across his shoulders. 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 two full 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, the cracked pot 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 only been able, for these past two years, to deliver half my load because this crack on my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of
my f laws, you have to do all 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 f lowers 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 f lowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your f law, and I took advantage of it. I planted f lower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back from the stream, you watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful f lowers 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 have our own unique deficiencies and weaknesses. We’re all cracked pots. However, if we will allow it,the Lord will perfect His strength in our weaknesses through
His Spirit and use us for His glory. In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste. Christ has called the weak, foolish,base and people of no worldly value to grace His Father’s
eternal table.
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 weaknesses. Acknowledge them and allow Him to take advantage of them, and then you too can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.
Go out boldly knowing that in our weakness we will find His strength made perfect (2Cor 12:9). “But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our Potter; and
we all are the work of Thy hand” (Isa 64:8).
of a pole which he carried across his shoulders. 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 two full 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, the cracked pot 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 only been able, for these past two years, to deliver half my load because this crack on my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of
my f laws, you have to do all 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 f lowers 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 f lowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your f law, and I took advantage of it. I planted f lower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back from the stream, you watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful f lowers 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 have our own unique deficiencies and weaknesses. We’re all cracked pots. However, if we will allow it,the Lord will perfect His strength in our weaknesses through
His Spirit and use us for His glory. In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste. Christ has called the weak, foolish,base and people of no worldly value to grace His Father’s
eternal table.
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 weaknesses. Acknowledge them and allow Him to take advantage of them, and then you too can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.
Go out boldly knowing that in our weakness we will find His strength made perfect (2Cor 12:9). “But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our Potter; and
we all are the work of Thy hand” (Isa 64:8).
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