“Now you are the body of Christ,
and each one of you is a part of it”
I Corinthians 12:27

You are the Potter, I am the Clay
April 16, 2020, by Vicki Williams

I have always loved pottery.  I’m not sure exactly what it is about pottery that has fascinated me, but I think it’s because each piece is much more than just the finished product we see sitting on the shelf.  Each piece starts as a lump of clay and through the hands of an artist, it is shaped, molded, and transformed into an individual work of art.  Unique to each piece is its origin, its shape, its colors, and its purpose.

Many years ago while on vacation, I went to a pottery shop in Maryland and purchased a vase.  It was my favorite.  It was one of a kind, and it was beautiful.  However, after I returned home, it fell victim to one of my kids’ indoor “horsing around” events.  It was broken into several pieces, and I had no way to put it back together without all the cracks showing.  Back then I didn’t know about Kintsugi.  Do you know what Kintsugi is?  It is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery using glittering liquid gold or lacquer dusted with powdered gold.  Instead of trying to hide the broken places, the pieces are carefully joined together using one of the world’s most precious metals.  The imperfections are accepted and honored as a part of the pottery’s history, and the end result is stronger and more beautiful than the original!

Sometimes in life, we go through experiences that are devastating, heart-breaking, or even life-altering, and we refer to ourselves as “broken”.  We feel like our life has been shattered into pieces and wonder if we’ll ever get back to who we were and what God intended us to be.  The dictionary’s definition of broken is: “fractured, shattered, or damaged.  No longer in one piece and in working order”.  Thankfully, that is not how God sees us! He loves us and wants the best for us as His children.   He is a God of restoration, and as our Potter, He takes our broken pieces, mends them together with pure gold, and turns us into a new creation!

So, remember that it’s okay to embrace your imperfections, hurts, and scars.  It’s even okay to let them be seen.  Remember Kintsugi?  In the end, the broken places end up being the most beautiful!  And these broken places might just be what God uses to bring someone else to see and experience the love and mercy of Jesus.

Isaiah 64:8
But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.