Although this week’s parable has been spun for years in many different variations and is fairly well read, it has always been a favorite of mine. While one can garner several meanings from it, I always found it to be a poignant reminder that often the worst enemy we encounter in our lives is ourselves. When we fixate on only our shortcomings, of which we all have many, our vision can become blurred to our actual value. It is even possible, as this story illustrates, that within the very thing we perceive to be our flaw, therein lies our true beauty.
Long ago, a water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots was perfectly made and never leaked. The other pot had a crack in it and by the time he would reach his master’s house each day, it would leak much of its water and would be 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 to his master’s house. 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 all this time of what it perceived to be bitter failure, the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer one morning as they were stopped at the stream for their normal filling.
“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you,” said the pot.
“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”
The pot replied, “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 our master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work and you don’t get full value for your efforts.”
The water bearer’s expression immediately change to reflect both his concern and compassion for the old cracked pot’s feelings. Gathering his thoughts for a moment, he sighed and then responded, “It is obvious, my dear pot, that you do not comprehend the value that has been reaped by what you perceive as a your flaw. As we return to the master’s house this morning, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers that are growing and flourishing along our daily pathway.”
Indeed, as they went up the hill from the stream, the cracked pot took note of the sun warming a beautiful alley of wildflowers that were flourishing along one side of their path. Seeing this cheered the pot, but only somewhat, for it could not see any connection between its flaw and the stunning flowers. What the pot did notice, as always, was that, as they reached the end of the trail, it still had leaked out half its load. So again, the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer gently but firmly responded, “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 master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”
Indeed, all of us are endowed with unique fixings that might seem, if examined solely in their singularity, to be bitter to taste. But mixed into the gumbo of our life, that which in isolation seems rancorous becomes a delightful seasoning vital to the creation of a magnificent feast.
This story serves as an important reminder to me and I hope also to you that when we look at others and at ourselves we should do so with the appreciative enquiry of our spiritual eyes. For this type of vision can sight with unique clarity the strengths we and all others possess however masked in flaw they may seem. While, far too often, when we see things utilizing just our physical eyes, we are blinded to the fact that our heavenly Master mostly works his earthly wonders through deeply flawed people for he has blessed this world with so few of the other kind.
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
Have an AWE-full Weekend!
William J. “Bill” Bacqué