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Cracked Pots

 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Luke 4 - Jesus

I’ve been in Seattle Washington where I’ve had the privilege of presenting four messages at a regional men’s conference and doing pulpit-fill at a local church.  It was so inspiring to see 150 men stand up to be counted as “participants” instead of being “passive spectators”.  These recommitted warriors realize that God wants to utilize all of us in Kingdom work despite our background or inadequacies. 

In the fourth book of Luke, we find the words of our Savior who said that he came for people despite their brokenness or past.  It is so encouraging to find men who can accept God’s grace and move forward with their lives.  I’m reminded of this story that tells us how God can use us despite our past failures.

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it 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 house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.  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 could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?" "That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.  Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw.  But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

In Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12 we see the words of the Apostle Paul who reminds us that each person that comes to Christ has gifts and talents that can glorify our God.

Are you feeling half full?  Do you believe that life is passing you by and that your talents are undiscovered or under utilized?  Take heart my friends; you may be watering more plants than you think.  So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great week and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!