"Just as You Are"

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her 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 walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. 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 could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house…”

The old woman smiled, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?” “That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water 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” (Author Unknown).
We are all wired differently and have our own unique flaws, but Christ loves us anyway. Christ takes the broken, the cracked, the hurting, the needy, the depressed, the rich, the poor alike and loves them just as they are. Overlooking our brokenness, He sees so much more.

Do you remember verse 4 and 5 of the hymn, “Just as I Am?”

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind-
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find-
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Christ is the redemption for our brokenness and all we have to do is allow Him in to our hearts. No matter how broken or afflicted we are, Scripture tells us, “9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10, NIV).

There is no better time than this very moment to allow Christ to show you what your cracked and dysfunctional being can do for His glory. Allow Him to show you just like the cracked pot in the story was shown; there is a purpose for your life and He will make you complete.

Have a great weekend,
Pastor David