A Pottery Story

   Imagine God is going into a pottery store. He brings an angel, let's call him Johans, with him to look. This is that story.
   God walks into the pottery store while holding the door for Johans, who protests God serving him. God's eyes fill will wonder and love as he looks around. There is a calming atmosphere inside the store. A small waterfall is running over in the corner. Some plants are hanging from the ceiling and are sitting on windowsills and shelves to add ambience.
   God smiles and thinks to himself that humans are very creative. That's one thing he loves about us. He walks around and sees many lovely pots and vases. There are many different kinds. Some are short, tall, skinny, wide, coiled, flat, brown, red, glazed, spotted, striped, and many more. As God walks by each he touches them. Then he looks at them as if he is deep in thought and moves onto the next one.
God and Johans reach the back of the store and they see the clearance area. God walked over and Johans smiled. God had a tendency to look in the clearance section. 
   God picked up a pot that was split almost the whole way down the side. Johans frowned, "Lord, why are you considering that pot? It is broken and cannot even be used to put food in." God nodded, "this pot has been broken by life. What you see now is only part of the story. This pot has been hurt by many people. But, with a little bit of work this pot can be useful. It still has a purpose." God handed Johans the pot to hold.
   God stepped over to the next pot. This one was painted but unglazed. Johans thought to himself, "this pot looks very nice but it cannot be used to hold any water since it is unfinished. Surely God will not choose this one." He knew better than to say anything to God though. God picked up the pot and looked at every angle of it. Then he handed it to Johans. "This pot is beautiful as is. However, it is unfinished. This pot is useful but, with some work, it can be better."
   There was one more pot on the clearance rack. Johans glanced at it. This is one pot he would choose on the clearance rack. It was decorated beautifully and had a glazed finished. God picked up the pot and looked at the outside. "This pot looks beautiful. Look at the intricate details. See the painstaking process the potter took to weave the coils. One must wonder why this pot is on the clearance rack." Then God showed Johans the inside of the pot. Inside the pot was black and burned. Johans would not want to put any food or water inside that pot. God smiled, "this pot looks nice on the outside yet on the inside it is corrupted. This is why I look on the inside not the outside. One would think this pot is beyond use. This pot may take more work than the others but it is still able to be saved. I may not be able to use all these pots now, but someday they will be unbroken, finished, uncorrupted, and most importantly know my love for them."
   God walked toward the cash register. Johans followed with a slight grin. That was why he loved the Lord. When others saw broken and unsalvageable God saw more. That is why he is God.
   So, what kind of pot are you? Do you see broken people and think they are not worth it? What can you do remind someone that they are loved by God today?
   Isaiah 45:9 and 1 John 3:1
   Image from here.