Hi friends. I am so glad you decided to stop by and visit with me. I have been thinking about a parable today. I am not sure who is the author of this parable. To the author of this parable I say, thank you. You are a very wise person.
I shared the parable of The Cracked Pot with several of my friends earlier today and they were encouraged by its message. I will share this parable with you, in its entirety, because it is so powerful. You may think that your life is inadequate, that you are not able to contribute, that your life falls short of being enough. You and I can not see beyond today and that can discourage us at times. The good news is that we are enough, that we do not have to know everything and that our lives do matter. Your life provides hope to those around you. You are a blessing to those who come across your path each day. You are also a blessing to me. Thank you my friend.
So don’t give up on your process, a loving God and yourself. More will be revealed. You have a future and a hope.
Now sit back and read the parable and be encouraged. You are a gift to your world!
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 master’s 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 pot’s 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, the Lord will use our flaws and cracks to grace His Fathers table. In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste. My encouragement to you my friend is — as I need to encourage myself — do not be afraid of your flaws.
Embrace what makes you, uniquely you. As we embrace our flaws and surrender our flaws to a loving God, He can use them to bless the people that He brings into our lives. Consequently, we can rejoice in our weaknesses, for in our weaknesses, we can find our strength.
As you listen to, watch or read my articles and questions come to mind, please send those questions to mind. All questions are good questions. In the event that you would like to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.To do so, please use the below contact form. I will respond to your comments and questions.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Have a great day.
Craig
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