Day 5: The Beauty in the Broken

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes. They inherit a throne of honor.

1 Samuel 2:8

Have you ever attempted to repair a cracked vase? A favorite trinket? I have—a few times. My finished product lacks beauty and usefulness, but with careful positioning to hide the flaws, it’s spared from the dumpster and remains a sentimental fixture on a shelf. My puny repair attempts spiked my interest in an ancient Japanese art—KINTSUGI (meaning golden repair). Broken vessels are not only salvaged; their value increases as each fragment is seamed together with gold.

This ancient craft was built on a philosophy known as WABI-SABI: the ability to discover beauty in the flawed and imperfect. Instead of tossing, disguising or repositioning a fractured piece, the gold, bonding it together, elevates its beauty and significance. What a reflection of God’s restoration in our lives. Our attempt to hide and disguise our brokenness leads to further despair, guilt, inadequacy and shame. God enthusiastically gathers our fractured pieces and fashions a vessel that amplifies His goodness. He re-members our busted lives with himself, bonding every misshapen piece with the brilliance of His love and grace. Our broken stories magnify the infinite value God ascribes to every soul. He allows the broken hands of a busted world to hold and cherish them.

Each unique treasure proclaims, “God’s glory can shine brightest through the offered brokenness of your life.”