The story is about a water bearer who carried up to large pots connected to a stick which went behind the back of her neck. One of the pots was cracked at the bottom. The other pot was able to carry the full load, with no crack at the bottom.
The cracked pot would always make it up the hill that the water bearer walked, only to be half-full by the top of the hill. For two years, this was the water bearer’s daily routine when she brought water to her masters table, delivering one and a half pots total to her master’s house.
Quiet naturally, the non-broken pot was proud of its achievements, fulfilling its duty for which it was made. The poor, cracked pot on the other hand was embarrassed by its imperfection, miserable that it was not able to accomplish what it was made to do.
After two years of this bitter shame, the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer on day. It said, “I am truly so ashamed of myself. I apologize to you for my fault.”
“Why?” the water bearer asked. “What are you ashamed of?
“I have been able to, for these whole two years, to deliver only half my loud, due to the crack at the bottom of my jar. It causes water to leak out all the way to the masters house up on the hill. With my flaws, you have to do much work. You don’t even get full value from the efforts that you make,” said the cracked pot.
Hearing the pot speak, the water bearer felt sorry for the only pot. In her empathy, she said, “When we return to the master’s house, please, I encourage you, to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”
When they went up the hill, the old cracked pot became attentive of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers, which were on the side of the path. However, at the same time the pot felt that familiar shame since it leaked out half its load. The pot again apologized to the water bear for its failure.
What the bearer said to the pot was, “Did you not notice that the flowers were only on your side of the path, not the other pot’s side? This is because I have always known about your flaw. I took advantage of it. That is why I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day while we’ve walked back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers for the master’s table to decorate his house.”
The moral of the story is that each and every one of us has flaws. We’re all cracked pots, to some degree. But if we allow Him, the Lord, to utilize our flaws to grace the Father’s table, we can contribute the way we are able to. In God’s great economy, not a single thing goes to waste. Do not be afraid of your flaws. It is best to acknowledge them, so you, too, can bring something of value to the Father’s table.
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