造られたもので無駄になるものはない。
ひびの入った壺と完全な壺 （作者不詳 シスター Mary )
（日本語訳はこちらをご覧ください。小熊晴代さんのブログです。祈りの輪が広がるのはうれしいことです。ありがたい協力です。）
http://stjohn0105.exblog.jp/11059971/
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.''
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
わたしたちも一生懸命にやっていて時に立ちどまって周りを見ると自分は何の役に立っているのかわからないことがあります。このお話の結論は他者をありのままにその善さを探して見るよにということですが、イエス様はそうしてくださっている方だと思います。イエスのまなざしによってわたしは力づけられ、わたしは一歩踏み出すことができるのです。無駄にはならないから・・・そう思えば、自分では気づかないけれども・・・あれこれして失敗しても、きっとうまく使ってくださっているのです。それに気づくと無様な自分でも何とかしてくださるのだと・・・それがわかると喜びが湧きあがります。
「わたしの掟を自分のものとし、それを守る人、
その人は、わたしを愛する者である。
わたしを愛する者は、わたしの父に愛される。
わたしもその人を愛し、私自身をその人に見せる。」
（ヨハネ１４章２１節）
わたしの使い道を上手に教えてください！
聖霊、来て、イエスの霊で満たしてください。
（日本語訳はこちらをご覧ください。小熊晴代さんのブログです。祈りの輪が広がるのはうれしいことです。ありがたい協力です。）
http://stjohn0105.exblog.jp/11059971/
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.''
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
わたしたちも一生懸命にやっていて時に立ちどまって周りを見ると自分は何の役に立っているのかわからないことがあります。このお話の結論は他者をありのままにその善さを探して見るよにということですが、イエス様はそうしてくださっている方だと思います。イエスのまなざしによってわたしは力づけられ、わたしは一歩踏み出すことができるのです。無駄にはならないから・・・そう思えば、自分では気づかないけれども・・・あれこれして失敗しても、きっとうまく使ってくださっているのです。それに気づくと無様な自分でも何とかしてくださるのだと・・・それがわかると喜びが湧きあがります。
「わたしの掟を自分のものとし、それを守る人、
その人は、わたしを愛する者である。
わたしを愛する者は、わたしの父に愛される。
わたしもその人を愛し、私自身をその人に見せる。」
（ヨハネ１４章２１節）
わたしの使い道を上手に教えてください！
聖霊、来て、イエスの霊で満たしてください。
