THE TEAPOT STORY

One afternoon an elderly couple entered a lovely teashop. A busy waiter directed them with a wave of his hand to sit at a table in the far corner. Upon the table there was a beautiful teapot. Delicious looking scones, sandwiches and cookies surrounded the teapot. The man started to turn to go back to the counter to explain they didn’t have enough money for such a feast when the teapot began to speak.

“Please sit down and do not be afraid. My master wishes you to be His guest. Take and eat whatever suits you while I tell you a story.” Startled but curious, the couple sat down to listen to the teapot’s story. You see there was a time when I was just an old, hard, gray lump of clay. I was very sad because I felt so useless. One day a master potter came along and picked me up. He began to pat, twist, turn and reshape me. It really hurt so I asked Him to please stop. But He simply looked at me with a kind smile and said, “Not Yet.”

As the teapot spoke, it poured out tea for the couple into delicate cups that never emptied or grew cold. The teapot seemed to glow and light the dark corner like a lamp as it continued its story.

Next He put me on this wheel and He began to spin me around and around. I got so dizzy that I couldn’t even see where I was going, and I began to feel ill. I begged him, “Please let me off!” And he replied, “Not yet.”

The worst was yet to come, however, My master then put me into the oven. It was so incredibly hot that I cried and cried to be let out. But all He said was, “Not yet.”

Finally, the oven door opened. He took me out and set me on a table. I thought, Whew! Thank goodness that is over! But then He began to paint me with this awful smelling stuff. I could hardly breathe when He put me back into the oven for a second time. It was even hotter than before! I thought I would die for sure. Just when I was ready to give up, He gently lifted me from the oven.

After a long rest, my master came by and picked me up. I could clearly see my reflection in His eyes and saw that I had been transformed. I was now beautiful. He told me that it was my reward for being so patient and strong. I asked Him how I could repay Him and His face lit up.

My LORD and Master then explained my purpose to me: “Pour out your story to everyone you meet. Don’t be discouraged, if they don’t hear or understand you. Keep your lid open a crack so I may fill you with my spirit where ever you may be. I will guide you all the rest of your days.”

The teapot then seemed to glow even brighter as it finished sharing, “It is such an honor to serve my Master that I have been filled with joy ever since!”

The couple had tears in their eyes when the teapot finished its tale. They promised also to share his story with others and come often to visit. This delighted the teapot even more. He knew his Master would be pleased. The teapot was serving his purpose.

We are predestined to be molded into the image of Almighty. Wow..!! That was His plan from the very beginning even before we showed up on planet earth.
Almighty wants to do something through you, so you have got to let him do something to you. Every time we come up a little bit higher a little bit of our flesh has to go down lower. He is the Potter and we are the clay. Let him mold us into his image. It hurts a heck of a lot, but in the end we will see it was for a purpose, and it is worth it!