Have you ever heard of Kintsugi? It is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. As a philosophy, it views breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. Do a quick image search on the internet, and you will see for yourself how beautiful these pieces of pottery are. Items like bowls and mugs do not lose their usefulness when they break. They are not discarded and replaced, but rather repaired and still used, and now have a story to tell from their scars—a story that adds to their intrigue.

I came across this ancient art several years ago and was captivated by the depth of the thought and intention behind it. It speaks deeply to me as a broken and flawed human.

As sinners saved by the mercy of Jesus, isn’t that my story and yours?

However, it is not our failure, sin, or fallen nature that holds the beauty; rather it is He who binds up our wounds and repairs all of our cracks. It is in the intention and attitude of the master potter—the one who does not discard us when we break, but rather picks us up, puts us back together, and adorns us with something valuable and precious—the blood of his Son. It is when we are authentic with other people and don’t try to pretend that we are perfect, and say, “Here are my broken pieces. Let me tell you how God healed them and made them beautiful.” That is the beauty.

Lord Jesus, it is by Your stripes that we are healed, and by Your mercy and grace that we are saved. It is the covering of Your blood that makes us white as snow and gives us the privilege of being called sons and daughters of the Most High. Thank you, Jesus, for the immense beauty of Your sacrifice and Your love for us. May we boldly show the places in our lives that You have made new by Your mercy, as a testimony to Your power and grace and love. May Your name be exalted and glorified in our broken stories. You are our healer and redeemer. Please empower us to use our stories of salvation as a way to tell others about You and Your love. In Jesus’ precious name, we thank You. Amen.

Copyright Rhapsody Jordan-Parisi.

Rhapsody is a member and high school English teacher from North Carolina. She is passionate about helping struggling teachers strike a balance between success and sanity at her blog, tightropeteaching.com.