Wholeness Ministries
www.wholeness.org
www.wholeness.org
The Value of Nuturing the Soul Part 1
Treasures In Jars of Clay
Unfortunately we often focus on our flaws and, consequently, allow these flaws to prevent us from seeing ourselves as God sees us. When God looks at us He looks past the flaws and sees the treasure. This treasure is the power of God. This power is not to be ignored nor hidden away but to be used to reveal God to others. Without an intimate, nurturing relationship with God we will not be able to see past the flaws of the vessel which carries this treasure and we will miss the very purpose God deposited it in us. Once we grasp what a treasure has been deposited in this earthen vessel by God we will understand that God will use these imperfections to bring good, light and even life.)
This story was sent to me via e-mail. I do not know the source, but it beautifully illustrates how God uses our flaws to bring life and light to others.
"A water bearer in India had two large pots, which he hung on each end of a pole that he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it. 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 the bearer daily delivered only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfectly fulfilling the purpose for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its 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 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?"
"For these past two years I have been able to deliver only half of 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 do not 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 beautiful 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 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 as we walked back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my masterπs table. Without your being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. In some ways we are all like cracked pots. (As I think about it, I have even been referred to on occasion as a "crackpot.") We are all born in sin, but we are treasures that can reflect His goodness. God sees us from a perspective that we do not, and in His infinite love He uses what we see as flaws to bring life and beauty to those around us.
Of course, we are a wounded people. We may have grown up in families where we were deeply wounded by something that was said to us. Perhaps we went to schools where our looks or our lack of athletic ability embarrassed us. Maybe we have accepted the notion that we are of little value and have little to give. That is exactly where the enemy would like to keep us, if we let him. However, that is not the image the Bible illustrates. In the next part we will look at how God sees us and the change it will bring when we grasp this.
Wholeness ministries offers a weekly School of Healing Prayer, individual prayer by appointment, numerous resources on both audio and videotape as well as our book "Learning To do What Jesus Did."
For more information please contact:
Rev. Mike Evans
4301 Stine Rd. Suite H
Bakersfield CA
USA 93313
661-833-2920
Fax 661-833-2934
mevans@wholeness.org
www.wholeness.org
