Beautifully Broken

"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was give me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But, he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 2:7-10 ESV

Both of these things are near and dear to my heart. Each have a piece of family history that has been shared with and entrusted to me. My attachment is not so much the things themselves but more so to what they represent. When I first displayed the bowl, I would turn it so the crack was neither visible nor obvious. As I was dusting my office this weekend, my heart almost shattered as I noticed a crack in the delicate glass of the oil lamp. My immediate thought was to find a new shiny glass and replace it.

Is that not what we do in our current culture? We hide the cracks and conceal the imperfections so the broken pieces are never visible.

"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..." Revelations 12:11 ESV.

So often, we strategically place our breaks so they are discreet. We see our brokenness as a flaw, a hinderance, or maybe even a thorn. Yet, if we bask in His grace, boast in our shortcomings, and testify of His power and strength, maybe, just maybe, we are becoming exactly who He has called us to be.

Ever so gently, as the Lord often does, he tugged on my heart. The crack in that bowl and the crack in the delicate glass of the oil lamp, while not perfect holds history, connection, a story, and serves as a reminder that broken things are still beautiful.