上帝的恩典經典英文美文

The highest grace

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and 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 master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half two years this went on daily, with the water bearer delivering one and one-half pots full of water to his masters house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. 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 had perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke one day to the water bearer by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able for these last two years to deliver only half my load, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work, and you do not get full value for your efforts," the pot explained.

The water bearer felt sorry for the cracked pot, and in his compassion, he said, "As we return to the masters house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But, at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had still leaked half of its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure. 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 is because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick those beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be ashamed of your owledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness we find our strength.

上帝的恩典

印度有一個運水的腳伕，他有兩個水罐，分別掛在杆子的兩端，杆子橫跨在脖子上。其中一個水罐有一道裂縫，而另一個則完好無損。因此腳伕從小溪千里迢迢運水到主人家時，這個完好的水罐總能滿載而歸，而那個破裂的水罐卻只能裝回一半的水。整兩年的時間他每天如此，運到主人家的水只有一罐和半罐。

當然那個完好無損的水罐對自己的成就感到十分驕傲，因為它所做的事自始至終都是完美的。而那個可憐的有裂縫的水罐則為自己的不完美而感到羞愧難當，想到自己只能完成所做的事的一半，傷心極了。經過了兩年自認為是痛苦的失敗後，有一天它在小溪旁對這個運水腳伕説：

“我對自己感到羞愧，我想向你道歉。”

“為什麼呢？”腳伕問道，“是什麼事讓你覺得羞愧呢？”

“這兩年來，因為我身上的裂縫，運水到主人家時一路上總是漏水，等到了主人家就只剩下半罐水了。由於我的缺陷，你必須做所有的工作，而你的價值卻沒法得到充分的體現。”這個水罐説。

腳伕為這個破舊的水罐感到難過，心裏產生了同情，説道：“當我們返回主人家的時候，我會讓你注意到路邊那些美麗的花兒。”

的確，當他們上山的時候，這個破舊的水罐注意到，太陽暖暖地曬着路邊的美麗的野花，這使它多少有些快樂。但是當行程結束時，它仍然為自己漏了一半的水而感到難過。所以它又一次因為自己的失敗而向腳伕道歉。

腳伕對這個水罐説：“你注意到了嗎？那些野花只生長在你這一側的路上，而不是另一側。那是由於我早就瞭解你的.瑕疵，並充分利用了它。我在你這一邊的路上種上花籽，每天當我從小溪旁運水而歸時，你就給它們澆了水。兩年過去了，我現在可以摘下這些美麗的花兒來裝飾主人家的桌子了。倘若不是因為你的特別之處，我們就不會有那些美麗的花來美化主人的屋子了。”

我們每個人都有獨特的缺點。我們都是有裂縫的水罐。但是如果我們允許這一點的存在，那麼上帝就會用我們的瑕疵來裝點他的桌子。