I carefully took out the ramekins, tucked away in the corner of the crockery shelf, my eyes fixed on the neighbouring glassware. With a sigh of relief, I placed the ramekins on the counter and closed the door of the shelf. As I wiped the dishes, the wall decor piece that had accidentally broken a few months ago, came to mind. Not one to throw away things without a last-ditch effort to salvage them, I had preserved the broken pieces, carefully wrapped them up in a soft cloth and put them away in a drawer.

What would you do if something is broken – would you rather mend it or get a brand-new one? Can a new piece replace the older one in sentimental value if it were mended? How much more valuable is the human life?

To a potter who spends time moulding the clay in the way he’s envisioned it, each creation is precious and something he takes pride in. Similarly, our Creator takes pride in us, His best handiwork. God, the Great Potter, fashioned us into vessels that can be used for His glory. Each one of us is unique, created in His image and precious to our Creator. With the advent of sin, man’s relationship with God was severed and the brokenness was evident in everything in this world, including man himself. Who can heal this brokenness? Only the One who created us can heal the scars and mend the brokenness (Ps 147:3)?

Have you heard of the Japanese art form Kintsugi? It is the art of mending broken pottery with gold lacquer. I came across this intriguing art form a few years ago when reading an article. As an art-lover, my interest piqued and I read a little more on this subject. In a time when ‘use and throw’ is the norm and a flaw/scar is a reason good enough to reject a piece, I was impressed with the wisdom behind this ancient art form.

We find healing and are made whole again when we choose to submit wholeheartedly to God. When our brokenness is fixed, we can be used perfectly and meaningfully for His glory. The scars that remain serve as a perfect reminder that a perfect God loves us beyond our imperfections. He exemplified His love for us when He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for us on the cross. Jesus’ scars redeemed us and restored our broken relationship with our Father. God uses our brokenness to help many others find healing and meaning in this broken world. So, see your scars and blemishes as opportunities to glorify God, for in our weakness, His strength is revealed (2 Cor 12:9-10). Our purpose is realised when we trust God’s divine wisdom and allow Him to mend those areas of our life that are broken. He does not reject or discard us but seals us with His love and grace. He restores us into a priceless and useful Kintsugi vessel, one with a history and a new story (2 Cor 5:17).