DHTML Menu, (c)2004 Apycom
  Volume 3 - Issue 9
SEP 2005

 
 


THE FLAWED POT


A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the 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 every day, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for the end for which it was made.

But the poor flawed 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 flawed 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 flawed 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 the 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 walked 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."

MORAL: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all flawed pots in our own way. But if we will allow it, our flaws can be used to grace the human family's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Yes... we are all flawed pots in our own special way and we do not always realize the joy we bring to others. We have an obligation to share whatever our goodness can bestow on others, so that the world can become a better place.

- Source Unknown

 

 
Vol 3 Issue 9 - September 2005
Optimized for Netscape and Firefox. Best viewed in Internet Explorer - 1024 x 768 resolution.