(This is a re-telling of a story from Brennan Manning’s book Ruthless Trust.)
“Once upon a time there was a water bearer who had two large pots. Each hung on opposite ends of a pole that he
carried across his neck.
“One of the pots was perfect.
"The other had a crack in it.
“The perfect pot always delivered a full measure of water to their
master’s table, while the cracked pot leaked and arrived with only half a
measure. Needless to say, the cracked
pot was discouraged. He was ashamed of
his performance because of his crack.
“One day, the cracked pot spoke to the water-bearer. “I am ashamed of myself. I only deliver a portion of what you expect
of me each trip to the well. You see, I have
a crack and I lose most of my measure of water all the way back home.”
“The water-bearer smiled and replied, “My poor cracked pot. As we walk home today I want you to notice
the beautiful flowers along the path.”
“And sure enough, there were dozens and hundreds of beautiful and colorful
flowers on his side, all along the path home.
“The water-bearer pointed out, “Did you notice that there were flowers
only along your side of the path and not on the side of the perfect pot? I know about your flaw. Every day for two years, as we walk this
path, you have been watering the seeds on your side and they have grown into
beautiful flowers. Without you being
just the way you are we would be looking at brown dirt, not graceful beauty.”
Have you had some less
than stellar days in your life?
Have you performed at
less than your best?
Have you given what you
thought was your best, yet no one remarked on your efforts, gave you praise, or
fell at your feet in a faint at the wisdom, knowledge, good deeds, or great
words offered?
In other words, have
you ever felt you had cracks and sometimes you leak?
Maybe your life isn’t
all it’s cracked up to be.
I’ve had those kinds of
days. Some weeks I write a blog that I feel
surely will be heard round the world – and nothing much happens. A few respond but where are the masses?
Other weeks I write and
choose a blog that I feel has less impact that last week's, and yet there is a
word, a phrase, a thought in there that really resonants with my readers. On those days I offered water to someone who
was thirsty and they drank.
How amazing is that?
Thoreau once said, “I
do not want to die without having lived.”
My mission, my motto,
my life statement is this:
“OFFERING HOPE,
ENCOURAGEMENT
AND INSPIRATION
ONE WORD AT A TIME.”
That is my way of
wanting to live before I die.
What about you?
Let’s remember these
thoughts from this week’s blog.
The pot’s weakness
became its strength.
What?
Our weakness becomes
our strength, if we let it.
That is
another way of living our lives before we die.
Brennan Manning offers
this insight in Ruthless Trust.
With all your cracks and
fissures,
you are capable of greatness
in God’s kingdom.”
You do see, don’t you,
that God uses cracked pots, disabled people, broken human beings, disappointing
individuals, and those with broken dreams and weak knees.
Can’t you hear this
re-wording of Matthew 11:28?
“Come unto me, all you cracked pots, disheveled, smelly, unfocused,
lost and dreamless ones. I’ll take you.
And, oh yeah, you perfect ones, you come too. I’ll find a place for you too.”
I love perfect people.
I relate to cracked
pots.
For at times, more
times than I sometimes want to admit, I am one too.
