A few weeks ago, as I was cleaning the kitchen, I accidentally broke my roommate's mug. It wasn't his favorite mug, but it will be missed. Obviously, I promised to replace it. To remind myself of what it looked like, I saved a couple of large pieces. They are sitting on a counter in our kitchen as I type this post. Those broken pieces have me thinking about the lives we lead.
Truth be told, something is broken in each of us right? Sometimes, things brake by accident. Sometimes it is the intentional act of another that causes brokenness. And possibly most often (but least admitted), we brake ourselves. Regardless of how, who, or when, we are all broken on some level. And we need spaces where we can confidently express our brokenness without fear of rejection. But...
Admitting our brokenness does not heal our brokenness. We often say, 'just talking about it makes me feel better.' Maybe so. But at this moment, as I talk about my roommate's broken mug, it does not all of a sudden produce a new one. There is still a broken mug on our counter and that needs to change.
It is one thing to admit brokenness, it is another thing to revel in it.
It is one thing to admit brokenness, it is another thing to justify it.
It is one thing to admit brokenness, it is another thing to get used to it.
We were not designed to live consistently broken. Over time everything good in us leaks out. Pretty soon people we encounter will get hurt by the slightest touch. And eventually, we will forget that although we are intrinsically valuable, we are also on the planet to serve a higher purpose. Brokenness, even admitted brokenness, must give way to healing and restoration.
There are very few people in my world who have a hard time admitting their brokenness. Most of them update their fb statuses with the evidence everyday. But it is a short list of people in my world who are willing to move from admitting it to dealing with it.
Yes, someting is broken in each one of us. But we do not have to stay that way.
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