Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.� We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Jeremiah 64:8)

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across her 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 woman’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing only one and a half pots of water home. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. 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 woman one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.” “Why?” asked the woman. “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 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 old woman smiled and said, “As we return to my 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 the Pot apologized to the woman for its failure.

The woman 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 walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my table.

Without you being just the way you are, I would not have this beauty and grace in my house.” Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Creator will use our flaws to grace the Universe. In the Creator’s 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 weakness we find our strength.

Plus, instead of complaining about how you may not “measure up” to someone else’s abilities, begin to thank God for the abilities He has given you regardless of how great or small you may think they are. Use whatever ability you have to do the best you know how. In doing so, you will not only find more satisfaction in your accomplishments, you will discover that you are bringing joy and blessings to others along the way!