Fable of Two Gourd Pots

A native water bearer had two large gourd pots.  They hung from opposite ends of a pole which he carried across his shoulders.  One of the gourd pots had a crack in it.  While the other gourd pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the chief's home, the cracked gourd pot arrived only half full.  This went on daily for two years, with the bearer delivering only one and a half gourd pots full of water to his chief's home. Of course, the perfect gourd pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for the end for which it had been made.  But the poor cracked gourd pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been constructed 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 chief's home.  Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the gourd pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the cracked gourd pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the chief's home, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the cracked gourd 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 of its load, and so again the gourd pot apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the gourd pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other gourd 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 watered them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my chief's table.  Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house." Each of us has our own unique flaws.  We're all cracked gourd pots.  But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws so that in his great economy, nothing goes to waste.  Don't be afraid of your flaws.  Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty.  Know that in our apparent weaknesses we find our strength.