AXIOM
•Kinsugi
•God is a good Father
•Conceit
•Ask God “And yet, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We all are formed by Your hand.”
Isaiah 64:8 NLT
Kinsugi is the philosophy of embracing human flaws and life’s fragility. It is an ancient form of Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with lacquer mixed with precious metals, like gold, silver and platinum. If an object is broken, rather than discarding it, the pieces are put together. The imperfections are highlighted instead of discarded.
The beautiful thing about Kinsugi is that shortcomings are highlighted; not perfected. One day, gravity took over and knocked a black mug off the table, shattering it; it was no longer usable and had to be thrown out. Then the same mug was replaced. Somehow, after some time, while doing the dishes, gravity took over again when the sink broke the handle off the replaced mug. This time, it felt like I had a choice: either embrace the mug's brokenness or throw it away. The mug is still usable; just the handle could not be repaired. Imperfect, while its purpose remains.
In matters of brokenness or insufficiency, there are two options: Rely on yourself–conceit. Trust in God's sufficiency. Perhaps, when we feel insufficient, and deal with shortcomings, we have choices: either avoid it, fight it, toss it, or quit when it doesn't work out or we push past our limitations or we can ask God for help.
We tend to not include God when we don’t ask Him for help, instead we rely on the sufficiency of the self or of the things in this world. When we begin to say things such as, “I can't do this or that,” or “I don't have the words to say,” “how could they,” “I don’t like how it looks,” “it’s too hard,” “I am failing,” “I know it all and I am right,” or “it’s not perfect,” “I can do it on my own” it can turn into pride. Conceit is puffed-up pride. And pride can look like false humility. And in our puffed-up pride, we say that no one owes us; I can do it on my own or I can’t do it at all. For this reason, people walk away from God, other people or avoid difficult and uncomfortable things altogether.
Scottish Baptist evangelist and teacher Oswald Chambers said, “The greatest curse of the spiritual life is conceit.” In a world of conceit it is easy to write things off, toss it away and find a replacement option. In faith, when we need God, trusting Him has a lot to do with what we ask God. “Our sufficiency is in God and God alone,” said Chambers.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, (corrupted by sin) know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.
Matthew 7:7-12 NIV As God is a good Father who wants to give good gifts, we can ask God for help. As I reflect on areas I deal with cracks in my own life, I often wrestle with the humility required to ask God for help. It would be easier to have a reset. Perhaps we all wish that we didn’t look like or act like a broken dish or wish that we could have a better version of the people or circumstances in our lives and not want to toss out the version we experience, including ourselves. God wouldn’t make something beautiful out of our lives if not for some brokenness along the way. And we can look at the cracks in other people as a beautiful purpose God can bring out.
Lastly, when we deal with something difficult it can be a way to see strength being built.
Ask God to give the words to say or to keep you from saying what He doesn’t want you to say.
Ask God to help you take it one step at a time, write one sentence at a time, or do one task at a time.
Ask God to prepare people's hearts to receive you and what you want to say.
Ask God to repair a broken relationship on His timing.
Ask God to change the way that you think.
Ask God to help you see the version of someone as God's creation.
Ask God for fruit of the spirit.
Prayer
God highlight in me the imperfections, or the cracks that come up in life. You can make something beautiful out of it, bring about a greater purpose or build strength.
You are a good Father, I want to ask You for help, I believe You give good gifts for those who ask. Amen ✲
