“We are beautiful in His eyes, even with our imperfections; it is those imperfections that make Him shine.”
Metaphorically speaking, when the Master Potter removes us—His prized creations—from the potter’s wheel and takes us out of the fire, our life of service begins. In that life of service, things happen that crack and break us. What happens then? How are we put back together again?
To help answer these questions, Angie Clark tells the story of kintsugi, a Japanese traditional method of pottery repair. The kintsugi parable offers a unique way to examine the reality of brokenness in the life of a believer in Jesus. In addition to perspectives on brokenness, discover the extraordinary correlation between the three types of kintsugi repair and the work of the Holy Spirit.
The kintsugi parable offers a unique way to examine the reality of brokenness in the life of a believer in Jesus. Click To TweetExcerpt of A Kintsugi Parable
In the reading I’ve been doing over the past few years, and in the resulting conversations I’ve been having, there are a few common themes. They have to do with being vulnerable and authentic. I will be the first to admit how painfully aware I am of my own shortcomings and brokenness, and how I don’t necessarily relish people gawking at my scars. I also acknowledge how much my weaknesses would like to muzzle the testimony of how God is at work in the broken parts of my life, but I choose not to be silent. Through reflection over these past months, I have come to see my deficiencies, and perhaps character flaws, as opportunities in which God would like to display His power through me.
Enter the story of kintsugi, a type of Japanese pottery repair that is not only aesthetically pleasing but adds value to the original piece. The Japanese word, kintsugi (金継ぎ), means gold splice or golden joinery. Feel free to Google it. Some of the examples of kintsugi are quite something. Some examples today might include a small kintsugi antique on Ebay that costs hundreds of dollars. It’s hard to believe a small teacup purchased for a few dollars, aged with time and repaired using the kintsugi technique, is worth exponentially more than its original sale price.
You may be jumping ahead of me right now. Go ahead. There’s room in this world for your ideas and mine. The kintsugi parable has given me a way to share meaningful lessons I’ve learned about brokenness and being repaired by the Master Potter in a way that’s hopefully easy to visualize and consider. The things I don’t mention here leave room for your thoughts and insights, your stories and struggles. Please be sure to share them with others; they’re too rich to keep to yourself.
Resources and Links