Inspiration Treasure Chest
Cracked Pots
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole
which 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 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 to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was
proud of its accomplishments, perfect 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. I have been
able 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 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 planted flower seeds on your side of the
path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I
have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without
you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the
house."
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots, but it's
the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very
interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they
are, and look for the good in them.
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
Rivet—Believe in Yourself
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods and two of them fell into a
deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit, and when they saw how
deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The
two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of
their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good
as dead.
Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and
gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he
could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just
die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.
When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog
explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the
entire time.
This story teaches three lessons:
- There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to
someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.
- A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill
them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.
- You can do whatever you set your mind to. Just don't let others make you
believe you can't.
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