Kintsugi - Beautifully Broken

I love the fact that my job and my faith provides me the opportunity to share some wisdom….but the best thing about all that I share is that the majority of it is a result of real life experiences. I know about abject poverty being raised by a single mother; my father was present mind you but contributed NOTHING to the wellbeing of his children. I know about domestic violence, growing up with that madness. I know about being ostracized, growing up gay and trying to figure it all out and learning to be comfortable in my own skin. I know about illness having dealt with cancer and diabetic coma. I know about grief and loss having lost a partner to illness.  I know about sexual abuse, having counseled women and children who have trusted and depended on me to help them through the healing process. I know about addiction having many friends who have struggled with and broken the bonds of drugs……..some people would say I have had a life hardships and tragedy but I will tell them that I am blessed by everything that I have ever experienced. God has trained and prepared me to do what I do. I am ever mindful of the fact that in order to effective , let me say this again….EFFECTIVELY do what I do….I had to be broken.  I had to acknowledge my own fragility lest I believe that “I” am the healer. I can only heal or help mend through the power of Christ. Hubris and humility are polar opposites. Hubris is the path to destruction..the word says  Philippians 4:13  (NIV)  13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

I learned this word a few years back, it’s Japanese, Kintsugi or it can also be translated to golden journey or golden repair. It is the centuries-old Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with a special lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Beautiful seams of gold glint in the cracks of ceramic ware, giving a unique appearance to the piece

Now visualize yourselves as such….fragile delicate ceramic ware that has had the hands and presence of God to repair the damage.

2 Corinthians 4:7 -12  7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

The jars or clay are referred to as fragile vessels in other translations….and please take note of verse 8….it talks about being crushed but not broken….wouldn’t crushing bring about cracks?  Know that two of the most precious commodities in scripture are the result of crushing – oils and wine…. Wine was used for thirst, hosting, festivities and oils for blessing, healings, fragrance, sustenance. Do you fit the bill as wine or oil?

Be mindful of your fragility knowing that if you are a believer you are an empath

1 Corinthians 12:26  (NIV)

26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Romans 15:1 (NIV)

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Are you celebrating your fragility…..knowing that it is a means for God to walk in and through your life …..to use you as you have been called? Allow yourself to feel and be filled…