Are You A Cracked Pot

There is a story that I’ve heard before, and you probably have too.

“There once lived a water carrier. Every morning, as soon as the sun rose, she walked from her home to collect water in two earthen pots that hung from a long pole that she carried across her shoulders. One pot was perfectly formed, the other, although the same shape and size as its counterpart, had a crack in its side. So, whenever they returned to the water carrier’s house it was only ever half full.

For years, the water carrier repeated her journey to and from her house collecting water from the river. As the years passed by, the cracked pot created a story in its head about its level of worthiness and inability to properly perform the job for which it had been created. Eventually, the pain and shame that it felt about its own perceived imperfections, became too much for it to bear. So, one day as the water carrier knelt beside the river and began her usual task of filling the pots with water, the cracked pot found its voice and said;

“I am so sorry. For years and years, I have watched you fill me with water and I can only imagine what a fruitless task it must be for you. As whenever we return to home, I am only ever half full. While in comparison, the other pot is perfect, rarely does it lose a drop of water on our long walk back to our home, but me, I am far from perfect. This crack in my side, not only does it cause me so much hurt and shame, but it must also cause you to want to get rid of me. Surely, I am only making this long, arduous job that you do each day, that much more difficult? I can understand if you are thinking of getting rid of me and replacing me with another perfectly formed pot.”

The water carrier listened to these words with both care and compassion. The cracked pot’s story of unworthiness and shame was not one that she recognised. For this was not what she thought of the pot. She knew about the crack, but did not see it as an imperfection, or as something that made it less worthy than the other pot that hung from her shoulder.

Gently she turned to the pot and said, “On our return walk home, I want you to look up and to the side of you. For too long, it would seem you have been looking down, comparing yourself to others and not noticing how you and the crack that you have in your side has brought untold beauty into my life”

Puzzled, the Cracked pot wondered what on-earth her words meant. She seemed to be suggesting that its story of lack, unworthiness and shame, was in some way faulty. As to how this could be, it could not comprehend.

However, the Cracked Pot trusted the water carrier. It occurred to it that in all the time that it had journeyed with her, she had never said a harsh word, never scorned or ridiculed it, but had always shown a sense of gratefulness and care when filling it with water.

So, on the return journey it heeded the water carrier’s words. It looked up and it looked out. In its former depressed state, it had not noticed that along the path that they travelled there was a dazzling array of beauty, colour and life. The water carrier in her wisdom, knowing of the crack in the pot’s side, had sprinkled seeds along the path. These seeds were duly watered every day as a result of the crack in the pot’s side and the path that had once been barren and devoid of life was now resplendent with an array of beautiful wild flowers.

Now, the cracked pot understood. Now the cracked pot began to see itself in a new light. Now it understood that indeed it had been telling itself a faulty story. If its experience of being a ‘cracked pot’ was going to change then it would have to change the story that it was telling itself.”

I wonder how many of us have to ‘change the story that [we] are telling [ourselves]? How many of us are a ‘cracked pot’, but have been so focussed on our faults and issues that we have never given ourselves the opportunity to see the beauty that comes from us?

2 Corinthians 4:7-8 AMPC “7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.

8 We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;”

In spite of us not yet being ‘perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48) but working at our sanctification daily (Hebrews 10:14 AMP “For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity]".), we are still able to demonstrate - through our love and actions, generosity and kindness, etc. – the beauty of the Kingdom of God.

Just as a pot is designed to hold something, so we are created and designed by God to hold His glory – something very valuable. So when we understand that, and in spite of all our ‘stuff’, we will realise just how special we are to God, and also how much of a purpose we have here on this earth. God has filled us in order that we overflow, and it’s really ok if we ‘leak out’ all the Godly stuff on our journey through this life. Because God is making everything beautiful in its time – and He uses you and me to do that.

Romans 8:28 TPT “So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.”

Everyday decide to be a ‘Cracked Pot’ sharing the love of God with all you meet.

ACTIVATION

Spend time with God asking Him to show you where you have been focussing on the wrong things, where you have been stopping yourself from seeing the beauty that you are spreading because you are so inward focussed. Ask God for forgiveness. Then go out and be a lover of God who has been called to fulfil His designed purpose for you.

Be blessed

Jean

If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others