Dear Daughters,
Your cousin Charlene gave me a cracked piece of pottery she made a few months ago. Although it is still quite beautiful, the flaw makes it unmarketable in her shop. People want only items that are close to perfection.
Unfortunately, we tend to expect the same in people. But as we all know, we’re not going to get it. We inevitably desire faultlessness (or at least improvement) in our husbands and ourselves, yet time and time again we get hurt, disappointed, wanting more.
We bear the desire of our once shimmering selves that lived in the Garden of Eden. The desire for perfection, which our human mother and father once were, still lives within us. At the end of the age we shall be perfect, as our Lord is perfect. Until then we bear the marks of the fall.
So…how do we deal with the cracks in ourselves and others?
The following story is a beautiful image of our value despite brokenness:
A water bearer in India had two large pots, one 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 was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of a long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For 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 of 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 on the side of the path,” and this cheered it somewhat. 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.”
We are all cracked pots, whether we like to admit it or not. Some of our flaws are more obvious than others’, but Jesus uses them all if we are willing to admit the cracks are there, then give ourselves to Him to use in His wisdom.
How often do we get angry, despise them or try to cover them up?
For years I saw the chronic fatigue I struggle with as a detriment, a waste of time, an annoyance and a burden to others. Over the years Jesus has opened my eyes to be content with my disability, seeing it as a gift from Him. I had to learn that I needed to be humbled – allowing Dad to care for me, learning to intercede and showing compassion to others who don’t have fit bodies, having lots of time to read and talk with people. I didn’t have the energy to be efficient or busy. I have found what has been better for me – to lay at the feet of Jesus, give thanks, and learn from Him.
One day I thought about the disability Jesus took on when He came to earth – the humility of having to live in a suit of flesh when He was used to roaming throughout the universe, bringing into existence galaxies, mountains, insects and people by using only His words. It was certainly not a waste of His time coming to earth – we needed Him. He became broken because His father willed it, for a greater purpose.
I am learning the grace of yielding to His will, trusting that He will get done whatever He needs to do in my life.
He has given me strength to do what I have to do, no extra energy. But you know what? It’s OK.
Thank God for your cracks, your less than perfect body, your weaknesses, and He will do marvelous things.
From one cracked pot to another,
Love, Mom
Photo by Kari Matthews
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