For those readers wondering why I call myself ‘The Cracked Pot’, this was the inspiration …
Jer 18:3-4 “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.”
There is a parable about a Chinese water bearer that has inspired me. The man 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. 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 because this crack in my side causes water to leak all the way back to your house."
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."
Jer 18:6 “Can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand.”
We all begin as a ‘whole vessel’ with no cracks or flaws. But the trials and heartaches of this life not only break us, but shatter us completely. The Potter must then work with His creation to be a useful vessel again, leaving the cracks so that our love, compassion, understanding, and encouragement can help others along the way. By these ‘cracks’, we leave a beautiful trail of God’s love.