Sin distorts the image of God in our lives. Yet, Jesus Christ, by dying and raising again, has prepared
the way to redeem and restore what was broken. Perhaps not in the way we would expect, but
always at a deeper, more profound level—a far more beautiful level. Let me explain:
The Japanese have developed a distinct form of art called Kintsugi. It is a method of repairing broken
pottery. Rather than throwing away, let’s say, a shattered ceramic jar, the artist will carefully gather
together all of the broken shards of that jar and then he will mix together a special lacquer of gold to
adhere together the broken pieces. Each crack is filled with a shiny gold bonding. It’s an agent that
creates a stunning work of art. Here’s the thing: rather than try to hide the brokenness or disguise the
injury, the artist uses the damage to create a restored jar that is far more beautiful and unique than
before. It is the same jar, but not really, because now the cracks and flaws are an important part of
the jar’s story. The artist intends for you to see all the repair lines because they glorify him as the
artist.
The art of Kintsugi is a beautiful picture of redemption, especially as it concerns the brokenness of
our lives because of sin. It’s natural for us to want to hide or cover over our flaws in order to eliminate
the evidence of our brokenness. But God is not unaware of our flaws. By owning them, we join God
in His work of restoration in us. God is able to pick up the pieces of our broken lives and apply the
gold of His grace. And here’s the important part: God never intends to disguise the brokenness.
Rather, He accentuates it. After all, those broken lines are the very places where His grace is on
display.
This beautiful picture of God’s power at work in our lives is emphasized in the following verses:
 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 about my weaknesses, so that God’s power may rest
on me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God
and not from us. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:7

God is the Master artisan who handles us all the more carefully because of our cracks and flaws.
He’s not ashamed of them or of us who bear them. He invites us not only to let Him repair us, but to
use our cracks as an opportunity for Him to apply the gold of His grace. In doing so, we tell a story of
brokenness, yes, but also a story of God’s beautiful redemption in our lives.