In the book The Third Option, author Mile McPherson referenced "kintsugi," an artistic Japanese pottery repair technique. Instead of trying to conceal fractures, kintsugi emphasises cracks by making repairs with precious gold or silver. This process can actually improve the beauty and value of pottery rather than the piece being designated for scrap or the bin.
Quoting from the "My Modern Met" website, "Since its conception, Kintsugi has been heavily influenced by prevalent philosophical ideas. Namely, the practice is related to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which calls for seeing beauty in the flawed or imperfect. The repair method was also born from the Japanese feeling of mottainai, which expresses regret when something is wasted, as well as mushin, the acceptance of change." It is fascinating how philosophy can find expression in how a broken pot is repaired rather than thrown away. In the west we live in what some call a "throwaway" culture, where items are almost cheaper to buy new than to have them fixed. "If it's not broken, don't fix it," the cliche goes, but I have never heard the reverse: "If it's broken, fix it." In most cases there is an attraction to what is new, and we place greater value upon new than old.
In kintsugi, brokenness brings out new potential. If a bowl, cup, or pitcher was never broken, there would be no opportunity to adorn it with precious gold. And when things are broken--even when the broken thing is a person--we do our best to conceal the damage done. We admire the work tradesmen do to repair holes in walls or gouged furniture by saying in amazement as we carefully examine for faults, "Wow, you never would have known." This is something we do with our bodies and past as well. Money is spent every day to conceal blemishes, to lighten or darken skin, and the removal or covering of unwanted tattoos. We work to hide our scars rather than being open about our past hurts or faults. It is for our benefit to humbly confess we are shattered so God might be our Saviour and strength.
The world seeks perfection it can never attain, but those who discover the love of God find themselves accepted by Him in spite of flaws. God does more than a kintsugi master could ever dream of doing, for we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ and transformed into a new creation and provided eternal life. Our bodies look the same, but the glory of God dwells within us. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." In our brokenness we came to Christ for salvation, and through the hurts of the past God's glory shines bright as Redeemer. No longer must we labour for approval of men or self by a veneer of vanity, for God's grace and power is revealed in our weakness. It is He who makes us new; it is God who makes the weak strong.
Quoting from the "My Modern Met" website, "Since its conception, Kintsugi has been heavily influenced by prevalent philosophical ideas. Namely, the practice is related to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which calls for seeing beauty in the flawed or imperfect. The repair method was also born from the Japanese feeling of mottainai, which expresses regret when something is wasted, as well as mushin, the acceptance of change." It is fascinating how philosophy can find expression in how a broken pot is repaired rather than thrown away. In the west we live in what some call a "throwaway" culture, where items are almost cheaper to buy new than to have them fixed. "If it's not broken, don't fix it," the cliche goes, but I have never heard the reverse: "If it's broken, fix it." In most cases there is an attraction to what is new, and we place greater value upon new than old.
In kintsugi, brokenness brings out new potential. If a bowl, cup, or pitcher was never broken, there would be no opportunity to adorn it with precious gold. And when things are broken--even when the broken thing is a person--we do our best to conceal the damage done. We admire the work tradesmen do to repair holes in walls or gouged furniture by saying in amazement as we carefully examine for faults, "Wow, you never would have known." This is something we do with our bodies and past as well. Money is spent every day to conceal blemishes, to lighten or darken skin, and the removal or covering of unwanted tattoos. We work to hide our scars rather than being open about our past hurts or faults. It is for our benefit to humbly confess we are shattered so God might be our Saviour and strength.
The world seeks perfection it can never attain, but those who discover the love of God find themselves accepted by Him in spite of flaws. God does more than a kintsugi master could ever dream of doing, for we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ and transformed into a new creation and provided eternal life. Our bodies look the same, but the glory of God dwells within us. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." In our brokenness we came to Christ for salvation, and through the hurts of the past God's glory shines bright as Redeemer. No longer must we labour for approval of men or self by a veneer of vanity, for God's grace and power is revealed in our weakness. It is He who makes us new; it is God who makes the weak strong.
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