A cracked
pot sat upon the floor in the back corner of a store. It wept as people walked past, looked at it with
disdain, then walked away. The cracked
pot could overhear their conversations about how useless it was and needed to
just be thrown away. Dejectedly, the
cracked pot had to concede they were right as it trembled daily, waiting for
the owner to cast it out with the garbage.
Finally, the
day it feared came as the store owner walked slowly toward the cracked pot,
eyeing it sadly. He carefully picked it
up, but rather than tossing it out the back door, he lovingly set it on a
table. The vessel had once been a piece
of great beauty, destined for great things until it was mishandled and abused
in the hands of careless people.
The store
owner began to speak comforting, reassuring words to the cracked pot, “I have
great plans in store for you.” The
cracked pot wanted to believe his words but wondered how it could ever serve
any purpose. It was broken with pieces
missing. It felt so useless!
Fear and
despair returned as the cracked pot watched the store owner return with a
chisel and hammer. The cracked pot
closed its eyes as it waited for the hammer to fall. But rather than being smashed, the owner
began to gently and carefully chisel away certain parts. Still, it hurt, and the cracked pot winced,
wondering why the owner was subjecting it to more pain. “When will the pain stop? I don’t think I can
take anymore!” the cracked pot agonized.
Eventually,
the owner stopped. “How could he break me more than I already was? I was useless before. I’m even more useless now!” the cracked pot
lamented, not knowing the thoughts and plans the store owner had in mind. The cracked pot felt confused as it watched the
owner work on it day after day then carry it outside and continue working.
The day
finally arrived when the owner was finished.
People began to gather around and admire his work of art. He had
transformed that cracked pot into a beautiful vessel with flowers pouring out
of it. The cracked pot beamed proudly as
it heard the owner explain, “This vessel was broken for a purpose so that what
was inside would be poured out for all that pass by to see.”
Some of you
may feel like that cracked pot…broken, useless, feeling like you’ve been cast
into a corner and forgotten. You’re not
useless! You still have purpose! The Master is not finished with you yet! You may still have some more ‘breaking’ to go
through as He allows what is within you to be poured out so that all who pass
by will be blessed by it. Take comfort
and know, you’ve been broken for a purpose!
