Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand. (Jeremiah 18:6)
For those of us who are saved by God’s grace, living in a fallen and broken world as fallen and broken people, there is never a lack of need. The question is, are we putting in all that we have and all that we are, despite our many imperfections, to be used by God to meet those needs?
Here is a wonderful story that will make this point far better than I could; I am sure it will both encourage and empower you to let God use you just the way you are. A water-bearer in India had two large pots both hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and at the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot always arrived half full. The other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
The cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable because 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, one day by the stream the pot spoke to the water-bearer.
“I am ashamed of myself,” the cracked pot said, “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 this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts.”
The bearer replied, “Did you notice that there are flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That is 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 my table. Without you being just the way you are, we would not have this beauty to grace our house.”
The simple reason that God uses broken people like you and me is because that is all He has to work with. Every person in the Bible that God used to be a blessing to others was broken . . . except One. Every person other than Jesus was flawed, many of them deeply flawed, but their flaws did not make them failures. When we allow God to use us just the way we are, flaws and all, we become fruitful because of God’s faithfulness to use our flaws for His glory and the good of others.
Do you sense your own brokenness? Good. Are you aware of your flaws? Excellent! Accept the way God made you, because that is exactly the way God wants use you as the broken beauty you are to expand the cause of His Kingdom and to grace His house. This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 