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Wednesday, July 25, 2007


The Water Bearer
(fr sg_christians.livejournal.com)

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 in 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 it was able to accomplish only half of 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 some.

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 your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. 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. You fulfilled your purpose for which I chose you."




I do not know who this story wrote, yet it wasn't me;)

I like it though because it explains in a simply way a basic biblical principle:

I don't need to have special talents,
do not need to be perfect or something in the eyes of the world to be used by God.

The Bible says in
~ 1 Corinthians 1: 27 - 28:
"Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. "

He can use me only when I understand that I am nothing
but He is the one who accomplishes everything in me and through me.
It is never my own power, but His strength and Holy Spirit working in me.

And then it does not matter if I am like a cracked pot in the eyes of men - in God's eyes I am valuable.
He chose me and loves me and He will use my "crack" exactly for the right purpose in His perfect plan when I am willing to be used by Him.

The water bearer in the story loved his cracked pot and he saw what this cracked pot was accomplishing in its weakness. Jesus loves everyone person on this earth so much more and with unconditional love. He knows every weakness, failure, and sin, yet He loves us and wants to work something beautiful and for the glory of God in our cracked life.

Everyone has to choose - a life with the Lord is nothing anyone else can chose for a person.
And it is not a religion, but a relationship! Yet it is a journey totally worth the trip!
God is a loving, living, life giving, graceful, merciful, wonderful Father. All you have to do is accept His grace, ask for forgiveness and then He will come into your life.


And He said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
~ 2 Corinthians 12: 9


♥ Anonymous
1:49 AM