“What if our brokenness, our cracks, all water a trail of flowers that we didn’t even know exist? Or water a trail of flowers that we were too blind to appreciate?”
I once heard a story about a woman who had two buckets. Every day she would fill them up and go water all of the flowers in her garden. One of the buckets looked absolutely perfect—shiny, strong, and didn’t have a single crack in it. The other bucket, however, was filled with cracks. It leaked, it shook, and it often spilled water all over the place.
The leaky bucket felt inferior to the other one. It felt inadequate and worthless. What good could a cracked bucket do? The other one held its water flawlessly, while this bucket would lose half of the water before even making it to the garden. It was then that this broken and bruised bucket told its owner that it was not good enough for her.
“I’ve been leaking water every morning,” the bucket said. “I’m so sorry for making life more difficult for you. I’m so sorry for being broken. It’s time that you replace me with a new, better, and more efficient bucket.”
The owner simply smiled and said: “Do you think I haven’t noticed your cracks? I see them, but I look past them.”
“Look at all of these beautiful flowers” the owner said. “I may have planted the seeds, but you are the one that is doing the watering each and every day to make them grow tall and strong. See, it’s only through the cracks, that your light gets in.”
How do you view the cracks in your bucket? Do you nurture them with tenderness & loving care? Or do you judge & shame them for being there?
We’re all a little cracked. We get hurt, we make mistakes, our hearts break, our flaws show, and we begin to shame ourselves. So often we beat ourselves up for our weaknesses and shortcomings. We’re not tall enough, we’re not skinny enough, we’re not pretty, or strong, or brave enough.
Maybe we have something that embarrasses us. Maybe we’ve made mistakes and can’t even begin to forgive ourselves. Maybe we’re allowing our or another’s opinion of us consume and define who we are. Maybe we’re setting ourselves on fire because we feel that we aren’t enough, or that we’re too broken to ever be loved. Then, we light the match just so others can watch us burn.
Maybe we’re single or have been in the wrong relationships, and like the bucket, we deem ourselves broken and inadequate. We think that there must be something wrong with us. We think that our light, our shine, is diminished if we don’t have a significant other in our lives.
Here’s a secret: You are not broken. You are not inadequate. Your cracks make you human.
I used to look at my flaws, imperfections, and mistakes, as failures. I constantly punished myself for not being like everyone else. For not being what society said was “normal.” I constantly second guessed my value, my worth, and my “lovablilty.” I dealt with insecurity and confidence issues almost on a daily basis.
It took me a long time to realize that every single crack or flaw, made me who I am today. I still struggle some days with them, but gradually, I’ve learned to accept that my scars are a part of my story.
My scars are a part of my unique, divinely guided journey. And, the same goes for you.
Instead of drawbacks, what if these annoying imperfections are really blessings in disguise? What if they really make us shine? What if they give us a purpose and make us glow? What if our brokenness and our cracks all water a trail of flowers that we didn’t even know existed? Or water a trail of flowers that we were too blind to appreciate?
I have a beautiful piece of cracked glass in my home. It looks ordinary at first. But, when the sun shines upon it, it brings out the most breathtaking colors. It fills the room with shades of green, blue, red, and yellow and at least a million others. It’s like a rainbow burst and landed right in my living room.
If light can shine through a cracked object such as that, and make it so beautiful, what makes me and you any different? Why can’t light shine through our cracks and bring out our own unique and timeless beauty?
It can. Our greatest strengths can come from our greatest weaknesses. But, we have to allow them. We have to be receptive, open our hearts, open our minds, and allow that energy in. We have to let God work through us and mold us in the way that He wants to. We are the clay and He is the potter. Why don’t we just let go and trust Him? Give Him our cracks and scrapes and scars, and let Him use them to shape us into our best selves.
“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8
We have to be warriors and stop shaming ourselves. Instead of judging ourselves, lets dig deep inside and gently love those flaws that we were once so ashamed of. Instead of hiding them, lets embrace them.
Let’s embrace what we think is undesirable and thank the good Lord for the path that we are on.
Because there’s a reason for everything. So, make the declaration today to start letting the light in through your cracks. To start seeing the flowers that are growing from your own leaky, beautiful, crack-filled bucket.
Featured Image Credit: Jasmine Peardon[
This was really heartfelt. I thought it was beautiful and true. You have a gift with words. Good luck with your future. I think you can go far.
Thank you so much!!