A long time ago, there lived a farmer. The farmer owned a watering pot, and for many years the farmer would carry his pot from his big old farmhouse at the top of the hill, down the road to his fields below.

The watering pot was a kind pot, always talking with and listening to the other tools that lived in the shed next to the farmhouse. Mostly, the pot was happy. There was just one problem. The pot had a crack in it.

The crack made the watering pot feel broken and useless. “How can I be of any value when I can’t even hold my water?” the pot thought to himself.

The watering pot loved the farmer, so one day he decided to talk to the farmer about his crack. “I don’t know if you have noticed,” the pot said softly, on the brink of tears. “But I have a crack. I don’t think I’m of any value to you anymore. It’s okay if you want to throw me out and get a new pot.”

The farmer was quiet and thought for a while. To the watering pot, it seemed like hours, although it was probably just a few minutes. Finally, the farmer brought the pot to the window, overlooking the fields below. “I want to show you something,” he told the pot.

As the watering pot looked out the window, down on the road and fields below, he noticed something. On the left side of the road, nothing grew. It was like a barren dessert. But on the right side of the road, where the farmer walked each day carrying the leaky pot, it was lush and green, with trees, plants, and beautiful flowers.

“I think I’ll keep you,” the farmer said.

Discussion

If you are feeling discouraged because part of you feels broken, remember the story of the farmer and the leaky watering pot. Our areas of brokenness can be redeemed. Sometimes God is in the process of doing something amazing with our broken parts, even though we might not be aware of it in the moment.