DO YOU THINK YOUR FLAWS ARE A SURPRISE TO GOD?

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."
 
  Each of us has our own unique flaws. We re all cracked pots.
  But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His
  Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
 
  So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls
  you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of
  your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage
  of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.
 
  Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength,
  and that "In Him every one of God's promises is a Yes".

Provided by Bill and Sandy Eakle