“Broken is beautiful,” a friend reassured our small group Bible study.
She then explained the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which uses gold to repair broken pottery. By dusting the cracked pieces with powdered gold, this art form draws attention to its brokenness. The highlighted cracks and flaws become the focal points of the pottery.
“Thus, the brokenness creates the beauty,” she concluded.
The psalmist reminds us of God’s protection even when we are flawed, troubled, or crushed in spirit. His healing hands can pick us up, dust us off, and put us back together again—even better than we were before. We just need to trust in His saving power.
Like the crack in the Liberty Bell, the lean in the Tower of Pisa, the horns on Michelangelo’s “Moses,” our flaws give us character.
The Master Designer maintains complete control of His artwork. He is always ready to fill our cracks, remold us, remake us, and improve our value. Even as wounded vessels, He can deliver us from evil, protect our bodies, and beautify our souls.
Broken artwork repaired by the Kintsugi method results in vessels even more beautiful than a piece of flawless ceramic. A broken person repaired by the gift of God’s goodness and grace results in a beautiful and unbreakable masterpiece.
Allow God to bind up your wounds and repair your cracks. Embrace your brokenness so that others can see God’s beauty within you.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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After teaching high school English for over thirty years, Joyce McCullough now spends her time writing children’s books. She also enjoys tutoring, teaching piano lessons, teaching Sunday school, and doing volunteer work. She has written for numerous faith-based publications including Alive, The Cumberland Presbyterian, The Missionary Messenger, and Focus on the Family’s Early Stages. She has received numerous awards and recognition both as a writer and as an educator. For more information, visit her website, The Literary Lyonesse, at joycemccullough.com.