The Beauty of Brokeness

The Beauty of Brokenness

Most if not all of us are familiar with the story of Job. Job, a righteous man of God, blameless and upright before God, wealthy beyond measure; a family man blessed with many children, livestock. Job who early in the morning offered burnt offerings just in case one of his children MIGHT have sinned against God. Yes, that Job.

How many of you know that Satan can’t stand to see men and women of God praying, communing with their creator? Furious, Satan decided to interrupt the morning State of Creation meeting between God and His angels.  Indulge my sanctified imagination as I envision God going down the roll of angels; each giving an update on the activities of their specific Heavenly assignments. God, knowing Satan had infiltrated the Holy meeting, finally looked at Satan, acknowledging his presence by asking “From where have you come?” Satan’s response: “From roaming around the earth and walking around on it”. That roaring lion was seeking whom he could devour.

God, then asks “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and abstains from and turns away from evil”. Satan suggests the only reason Job is blessed is because God has placed a hedge of protection around all that Job touches and does. Should that hedge be removed, Job would curse God to His face. God allows Satan to test Job, but he is not allowed to take Job’s life.

As the tests progress, Job loses EVERYTHING: servants, flocks, children and ultimately his health. Job’s friends arrive offering unsolicited and unhelpful advice and accusations. Even Mrs. Job urges Job to “Curse God and die”. Yet, even after questioning God about his predicament, Job does not curse God. “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord” _{Job 1:21 KJV.} For Job’s faithfulness to God, he is blessed to recover double of all that was taken away. Job has more children, his wealth, servants, flocks and health are all restored. What remains is the scar or memory of the experience.

Meditate with me a moment as we look at the Beauty of Brokenness. Japanese culture has a term “Kintsukuroi” which means “To repair with Gold”. It is the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken. This ancient techniques repairs the broken pottery by sealing the pieces with resin mixed with gold or silver powder. It is then goes through the refiner’s fire again and comes out as a new piece reflective of the trauma it has gone through. The most devastated part of the piece has now become the most valuable. The scar is no longer something to be hidden or ashamed of; the piece is transformed and has become a new creation.

Doesn’t that sound familiar? “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new”_{2 Cor. 5:17 KJV.} When something is broken, sometimes it can be fixed, repaired, healed, but it can never be returned to its original state. During an autopsy, even after death, scars remain. Evidence on the body or bones remains that can lead to discovery of the cause of death. Evidence is detectable upon close scrutiny.

Herein lies the beauty of Kintsukuroi. The object is repaired, but the evidence of, the test, trial, battle or break is still evident. Yet, the piece is beautiful because of the material used to repair it. Those gold or silver veins running through the piece add beauty and value. The veins are indicative of the struggle and what was given to make the repair. The object is a new creation that bears an outward symbol of the new life given to the piece through the healing veins flowing through it.

Veins are extremely important to us as humans. Veins and arteries carry our life blood to and from our hearts; distributing oxygen and other vital elements necessary for good health. So too as we look at the earth itself, veins run throughout the earth carrying elements such as gold, silver, rare gems and other minerals of great expense. These veins are created over thousands, maybe millions of years under great pressure, stress and strain.

This is exactly what God offers when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Our lives, souls are made more beautiful because under close scrutiny, as people observe you, they see the healed scars. What they actually see is the blood of Jesus flowing through you mending what was once broken. What they see is the luminosity of the Holy Spirit shinning from you, encouraging you and helping you become the person God intended you to be. As with Kintsukuroi pottery, you are more beautiful and valuable because of your blood-washed scars.

Each of us has experienced or are experiencing trials, tribulation, turmoil, whatever it is, you are left broken. God gives us a way of escape, a way to work towards wholeness, redemption, forgiveness, towards peace. Psalm 66:10 _AMP states: “You have tested us Oh God; you have refined us as silver is refined” and Job 23:10b _AMP states: “When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous]”.

Jesus assured us that we would have tribulations, but He also assured us that He came into the world to give us hope; to overcome our struggles, to save us from our sins and redeem us unto God. Just as the horrific crucifixion experience left physical scars on our Savior, so to do our traumas leave scars on us. Physical scars, emotional scars, soul searing scars; we come forth by the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit scarred, but praise God, healed. We come forth as new creations in Christ.

Sometimes, God chooses to allow our cracks to remain visible. Moses retained his stutter, Jacob retained his limp, and Paul’s thorn was never removed. God’s grace and mercy becomes the gold and silver that fills the cracks in our brokenness. It becomes the testimony we share with the world. It is our ever-present reminder of God’s sovereignty, of His love, of His faithfulness towards us. When we open our minds, hearts and souls and accept the salvific blood of Jesus, we, through the power of the Holy Spirit go through the process of Kintsukuroi. Like the broken pottery, we must lay ourselves, our burdens at the Altar of sacrifice; offer ourselves to Jesus to be infused with His love and peace; to be made whole.

Scripture states we are like a city set upon a hill that cannot be hidden. Like the repaired pottery, the light of Jesus flowing through our veins exudes a brightness that cannot be extinguished as long as we hold to His unchanging hand. The world knows what we’ve been through, and can see the new light and new life that has become the visible, healing scars that have made us whole. As believers, our lives should be a shining, luminous example to a sin sick world that through Jesus, there is new life, wholeness, love and peace.

If you are weary, broken, unsure of what lies ahead, there is hope for you. Jesus is waiting for you to make that life-changing decision to become a believer; to give your life to Christ. If you’re longing for peace, for joy, for hope I invite you to try Jesus. Give your life to the Bread of Life the Light of the world, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s not too late. Let Jesus mend the cracks, breaks, and tears in your life. Let His healing, redeeming, cleansing blood make you a new creation, make you whole.