Bright Spot: Turn to God for help mending what is broken
Many times I’ve tried to repair broken things of all types and sizes. I have a little side hustle, as my son calls it, of restoring cast-off furniture whose proceeds go to support a charity that feeds hungry Kenyan kids (kenyakidscan.org).
But ceramics can certainly present unique challenges. I’ve found a wonderful friend in E6000, a marvelous glue that is SO much more. Try it. But the cracks almost always remain.
Just like us. We get beat up and broken. We heal, but the damage is still visible. Or is it?
The invisible scars are often worse, because they don’t bring us the casseroles and cards. Often the outward signs of inward scarring just bring on judgment. The issues with others that result are often because of concealed cracks that the best glue could not reach.
Enter a Japanese artisan of centuries past. A powerful warlord broke a favorite cup and demanded the artist “fix it!” Many scream for the same when they go to their doctor, counselor or pastor. Not always easy for the helping professions, family or friends. Many factors are involved in why any kind of meaningful resolution is resisted.
But back to the Japanese artist and wonder-worker who put the cup back together. He came up with a process called Kintsugi, which uses molten gold as the glue that cemented and sealed the cracks. The result was a piece more beautiful than before the damage.
We are like clay on the Lord’s pottery wheel. He creates us for all types of uses according to his divine wisdom and love: “Isn’t it obvious that the potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans? ... God needs [many] styles of pottery ... carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness….” (Romans 9:21 MSG)
A friend who had heart bypass surgery told me that his surgeon explained how his heart would be stronger than before his heart attack once it was repaired. Likewise, Jesus always uses our brokenness to build us back, better than before, if we allow his perfect healing hands to make us into the work of art he had in mind when he first created us.
“We are God’s work of art [masterpiece]; created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Rick Sams is pastor emeritus of Alliance Friends Church.
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Bright Spot: Turn to God for help mending what is broken
