Broken Is Beautiful

<p>READ: <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+ISAIAH+61%3A1-3%3B+64%3A6-8%3B+2+CORINTHIANS+4%3A6-10&amp;version=NIV" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+ISAIAH+61%3A1-3%3B+64%3A6-8%3B+2+CORINTHIANS+4%3A6-10&amp;version=NIV">ISAIAH 61:1-3; 64:6-8; 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6-10</a></p> <p>Have you ever heard of the Japanese artform called <em>Kintsugi?</em> The word means “golden joinery” or “golden repair.” The art is created when a treasured ceramic, like a clay bowl, is broken. Instead of throwing away the old pieces and making a new ceramic altogether, the artist takes the broken pieces and mends them together by mixing lacquer with powdered metal such as gold. The effect is the same shape as the original beloved ceramic, but with all the cracks now filled in with gold, the cracks become the focus of the clay pot. Repairing the damage in this way creates a stronger and more beautiful object than what existed before.</p> <p>The artform of Kintsugi can remind us to embrace the beauty found in our flaws and develop resilience through the hard parts of our lives. Greater still, the art of Kintsugi can help us see God’s great love for His own Creation. The prophet Isaiah describes human beings as clay in God’s hands (Isaiah 64:8). In His love, God not only gave us life, but sculpted something He thought was beautiful and “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Sadly, sin brought brokenness throughout creation, and in our brokenness we tend to forget how great our beauty is in the eyes of our Lord.</p> <p>I often focus on my imperfections, giving me a low view of myself. It’s hard not to look at our bodies and notice where we’re broken or what we think our flaws are. But this is not how God views His children or how He wants us to view ourselves. He wants to restore brokenness. He invites us to acknowledge our pain and receive His compassion and forgiveness. But we don’t stop there. By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, God is redeeming us, making us stronger and even more