At
my Church Connect Group (Home or Cell Group)
my friend Sue Oliver shared this
last night, please feel free to read,
discuss and share
The
Parable of A Cracked Pot
Author
Unknown
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 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
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 up a
bit.
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 flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the
other pot's side?
That's
because I have always known about your flaw, and I put it to good use. 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."
The
moral of the story:
Each
of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. In this world, nothing
goes to waste. You may think like the cracked pot that you are inefficient or
useless in certain areas of your life, but somehow these flaws can turn out to
be a blessing in disguise. Remember,
nobody is perfect.
"We
don't aim to be 100% better at 1 thing, but 1% better at 100 things."
2
Corinthians 4
New
American Standard Bible (NASB)
Paul’s
Apostolic Ministry
4
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose
heart, 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking
in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of
truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And
even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled [a]to those who are perishing, 4 in
whose case the god of this [b]world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving
[c]so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as
Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants [d]for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who
said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our
hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ.
7
But
we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of
the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in
every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but
not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the
body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in
our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for
Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal
flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13
But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed,
therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that
He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us
with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is
[e]spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound
to the glory of God.
16
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our
inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is
producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while
we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;
for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen
are eternal.
Yours
by His Grace
Blair
Humphreys
Southport,
Merseyside
January
16th 2014
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