Broken.

I heard it recently said that hurt people, hurt people.  A backpack of broken dreams, relationships and derailed goals is enough to stop the strongest in their tracks. 

I never liked pottery.  In fact, it was way too messy and when working clay on the spinning wheel, I could never get the clay perfectly centered.  The faster the wheel spun, the more wobbly it would get.  Inevitably, I would start a project over at least five or six times.

My classmates had to remind me that when my project would get wobbly and need to be restarted, I needed to make sure to smash all the clay down, pummeling it to obliteration.  The process assured that the imperfections and air pockets would be worked out and a clean moldable lump of clay could start to be remolded.

I get the metaphor.  But where I struggle is its application.  Sometimes, I have seen people so battered and bruised… so broken down after a wobbly season that the thought of restoration is a pipe dream.  Sometimes, people even have stretched the metaphor and pushed a tattered theology that said, “It’s God breaking you down to rebuild you.” 

I do a great job of breaking down.  Sure, he brings a sense of mortality to every person simply being God.  But when I needed God the most, it was not to be broken.  It was to be built.

Have you ever felt this way?  The hope is in the truth that Jesus loves the broken.

I am broken. 

You are broken. 

We are broken.

The sooner this is realized, the sooner the son of a carpenter can start rebuilding.  The blueprints were scripted before the foundations of the earth.  Someone is waiting to hear your story.

Tell it to us.

Until then,

Craig

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