I'm a cracked pot. You are, too.

A water-bearer had two large pots. Both hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. 

One pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. The other was cracked. And at the end of a long walk from the stream to his house, the water-bearer would discover the cracked pot would arrive half full.

The poor cracked pot felt ashamed. It could accomplish only half of what it had been created to do. One day, it spoke to its owner by the stream.

“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,” the cracked pot said. “Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts.”

The pot bearer smiled, then replied:

“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.”

I sometimes feel that God can’t use me because of my weaknesses. But someday we’ll all look back at a trail of “flowers” and realize that God’s power seeps through our cracks and brings beauty into the world.

We don’t need to be perfect. Just faithful.

(Tim Kolodziej is the author of this piece and founder of EnspireU.com. When he’s not behind a laptop or presenting to corporate clients, he can be found inside a gym helping young athletes create their own unique future — one rep at a time. Click here to connect with him by email.)