In New Mexico, there was a ceramic artist that was known for his workmanship and artistry with clay. He created unique ceramic projects that were displayed in museums around the world. He liked to show other people his handiwork and talk about the pieces he created.
One day, his friend came to visit him. He had a knapsack with him. It contained clay from the California soil.
His friend said, “I have seen you work with clay that was hard to mold and shape but I think this time you have met your match. This clay will not change. It will always be just another lump of clay.”
He rolled out the clay from the knapsack. It was just a lump in the midst of the table. It was not special or unique. However, it had a mouth to it and it voiced its disgust of being in a sweaty knapsack. It said that it did not want to be shaped or molded.
The friend said, “You see what I mean? It sees itself as more than just clay. I challenge you to make it beautiful. I will come back periodically to see if you can work with it.”
The potter agreed to see what he could do.
He started adding water to the clay and tried to shape it. The clay was going to have nothing to do with getting shaped. The potter added more water. The potter was sure that with the right combination of water the clay would be more pliable. He tired of his work and went to sleep.
The next day, the clay was turned on its back and there was more weight on the left side than on the right. It had fallen and had bumps and bruises on its side.
His friend came by and gave him an option to get rid of the clay.
The potter said, “No.” This will be my best work of art yet. He said these might just be “character flaws” but that does not mean that it can’t be a piece of art. It just means that it is more unique than other pieces I have made.
His friend shook his head. “Alrighty then. Go for it!” His friend left the workshop.
The potter said to the clay; don’t let those words get to you. You can still be beautiful. I believe in your potential.
“Say what? Are you talking to me?”
The clay had never been talked to. It was just expected to be molded and conformed to the expectations of whomever or whatever had it.
Yes, said the potter, I am talking to you. Don’t you want to be more than just a lump on a table?
Never thought about it, said the clay. No one ever asked me. He put the clay on the wheel. He started forming it into a pot. He put his fingers inside the clay to make an opening to the pot, and he smoothed out the rough edges.
He worked with the clay and
lovingly worked with the inside to take away all the bumps and bruises.
The clay started getting dizzy and did what it could to get off of the potter’s wheel.
The clay said, “You did not tell me that this was going to be a wild ride. I am getting off at the next exit.”
The clay fell off the wheel and looked like a big splotch of clay on the floor. The potter said what most people say when someone or something does something considered stupid.
He said, “Bless your heart. Let’s try this again.”
The clay said, “Owww. That hurt! Are you sure you want to try this again?
I am flawed now even more than I was before.
Yes, said the potter. Even in your weaknesses I see your strength of character. I am not giving up on you.
His friend came back to visit. He said, “What happened to the clay? There are so many holes, blemishes and bruises. I told you this clay would not amount to much.
Just watch said the potter. This will be my best work. He put the clay back on the wheel. The clay said, “Ok. If you aren’t giving up on me I won’t give up on you either.
The potter formed the shape of a pot and made it strong from the inside. He smoothed out all the chips, blemishes and holes. The pot started taking shape. The potter put a mirror in front of it to show it what it had become.
The clay said, Wow! I didn’t know that was possible. Is that really me? There are no signs of the damage or the wear and tear that I have gone through. All you see is a beautiful pot.
Well, did you expect you would look like a cracked pot? That is not my style.
The clay asked him, “Are we finished yet? I am looking pretty good. No said the potter. You have to go through cutting off some more rough edges first. Then you have to go into the fire. The potter pointed to the kiln.
The clay said,” I don’t like it. Isn’t there another way to make me perfect and complete?
No, this is all part of making you who you were meant to be. The clay said if I have to go through all this smoothing and put through the fire at least make a banjo out of some of my clay so I can play it when you are working on me.
Ok said the potter. He formed a banjo on the clay pot and the potter gave the pot little hands in front of it. The pot said Ok; as long as I got a banjo I can deal with all this shaping. The pot started making a sad banjo sound. Your music needs work said the potter but let’s work on you first.
He lovingly smoothed the clay and took his knife and cut off the rough edges. Then he put the pot into the kiln. The potter could hear the pot sing “I’m just an old lump of clay. But I’m gonna be a diamond someday.”
He sang and the potter could hear the song of the banjo. He noticed that the hotter the fire the better the banjo sound. He took the pot out of the kiln. It was a perfect shape!
Then he started using Peruvian colors, in his glazing, to give the pot a special look. Even the banjo on the pot had Peruvian colors to make it unique. This took the potter months to make the pot beautiful and creative. The potter put the mirror in front of the pot. He had just finished all his handiwork on the pot. The pot said, “Are we finished yet? I am looking amazing! I think that I am going to like these changes. Plus, have you heard my banjo music? I am pretty good.”
You are not done yet. One more time back into the fire to make sure the glazing is done correctly. The pot said,” Ok. One more time!” He played his banjo and sang a sad and lonesome tune.
The potter put him back into the kiln. The potter took him out of the kiln and put him on the table to cool. The pot was so breath-taking that he had to stand back and look at it. He added banjo strings to the clay banjo.
He called his friend and told him to come over and look at his finished product. His friend came by the workshop and asked where the lump of clay was. He pointed to the finished pot.
The friend said, “No! I am talking about the lump of clay. You know the one with the mouth.” The potter said, “Here he is. This is what I saw in this pot from the very beginning.
The friend said, “This is why you are the master potter. You can see beyond what others can see. You can see the possibilities and wonder of whatever you create.
The potter said, “God didn’t give up on me. I was like this clay once. However, every day, I learned. I went through the cuts, bruises, hurt, trips and falls. I went through the fire yet I learned from every experience. I learned to trust in the master potter to make me the person I needed to be. We are all flawed in some way.
We all carry experiences and pain we would rather forget. Those things can be thrown into the fire and all that is left is the workmanship of the master craftsman.
I am complete because of the potter’s hand just like this pot is complete. The friend heard the banjo and started smiling. Leave it to this pot to take up the banjo! It was never like other pieces of clay. The potter clapped his hands to the music.
His friend brought another lump of clay for the potter. The potter once more said, “I can work with this clay. You won’t believe what I see it will be able to do.” The friend said, “I have no doubt.” He walked away as the potter lovingly started working with shaping the clay. His friend knew the clay was now in the potter’s hands. It would be more beautiful than he could imagine.
