Restoring the Broken

Often I get into fixed ways of thinking about things; my beliefs, convictions and standards become inflexible. I need to put things that I already know in a different order to get fresh insight, to receive a deeper understanding. I had that experience yesterday…

I’ve mused before on ‘The Repair Shop’ – the TV programme where people bring broken pieces of family history to expert craftspeople. Grandpa’s broken clock is repaired; the much loved doll that survived the blitz is restored; the broken ceramic dog, that represents a much-loved pet, is put back together.

The useless is made perfect, the hidden embarrassment can go on display again. It’s a heart-warming illustration of transformation and hope as the broken and damaged is restored; the apparently impossible becomes possible in the hands of the expert.

I’ve also mused on Kintsugi – the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with a lacquer mixed with powdered gold. Breakage and repair isn’t covered over or disguised but highlighted. Joining it with gold makes it more valuable that it was originally…

Kintsugi is a reminder of life’s fragility, that breakage and repair is part of life. We can  accept and even celebrate our flaws when things fall apart; scars are not hidden away, but make us more beautiful and valuable.

Musing on…

…Jesus who taught and demonstrated that the broken could be healed, mended and transformed.

…Friends who’ve turned their lives round from addiction to sobriety… who’ve known healing from life-limiting illnesses… who’ve moved through a painful bereavement or messy divorce…

Some friends have known good-as-new Repair Shop restoration from their brokenness; others have known embrace-your-flaws Kintsugi restoration from their brokenness.

Both speak of human optimism and Christian faith… brokenness that’s part of our humanity… restoration that’s always possible… the useless becoming useful… the damaged and hopeless becoming beautiful and valuable.