As a child you may have enjoyed coloring with crayons like most children do. The crayon box is filled with all sorts of options for bringing coloring to life. Some children choose their colors carefully and at least attempt to color inside the lines. Others, who think “outside the box,” prefer to blur their lines, combine colors, and transform the ordinary into something completely different. In either case, an ongoing reality for the crayon artist is what to do with all of the broken crayons.
The broken crayons could be thrown away, combined with other colors to make new ones, used down to the “nub” until they are no longer of value, or even recycled by melting them down. The biggest challenge to the crayon artist, however, is what to do with the crayons that are actually broken? Do they have any value at all if they are broken?
When it comes to using crayons to create masterpieces, it is important to remember that broken crayons still color!
This simple word picture helps us understand something very important about you, and each of us at First Christian. Like crayons, we are all broken. Some of us are broken from trauma, abuse, addiction, physical challenges, mental health issues, and relationships, but there is value in each of us despite how broken we may feel. But like crayons, broken people are the heart and soul of God’s affection and grace. Broken people are valuable beyond what they may ever feel, or know, about themselves.
The Bible gives us many examples of “broken people” in the stories of Scripture and in the ministry of the church. The truth is that God specializes in using people for a greater purpose even though they are broken. People like Moses, Ezekiel, Naomi, and Rahab show us the other side of brokenness. No matter what broken state we’re in, we are never beyond God’s reach. We are never so far gone that God can’t make us effective for God’s purposes. We also, most importantly, have the ultimate example in Jesus Christ, who was betrayed by those closest to him. He was bruised, battered, and broken. Christ knows what it’s like to feel forsaken and alone. Yet he went through all of this for us, so that we could be reconciled to God.
There is another side to “brokenness.” We love God so much because He doesn’t throw us away when we’re messed-up. God doesn’t say he can’t use us because we’re so broken. Christ came to heal, deliver, restore, and set us free. In Luke 4:18 Jesus says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free” (NLT).
When we are feeling lost, discouraged and broken, know that Christ is right there to bring us through it. He is there to give us hope and increase our faith in God. No, it doesn’t feel good when we’re going through hardship, but Ecclesiastes 7:8 assures me that, “Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride” (NLT). Also, Philippians 1:6 tells us, “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (NLT). Even in our state of brokenness, God is still doing a good work in us. Though it doesn’t look or feel so good in the beginning, the end is going to be so much better with God’s help.
When we are broken, it is not the time to give up and turn away from God. Rather, it’s the time to draw nearer to Him. That is when we should seek God all the more for direction, clarity, help, and strength. It’s the very time to ask God to remind us of our purpose, because sometimes we lose that perspective along the way. When we come out on the other side, we’ll have more faith, more joy, more strength, more hope, and a closer relationship with God.
So, don’t give up. Let Psalm 31:24 encourage you: “So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” (NLT). Take heart, you have a purpose to fulfill and much work to do!
At First Christian we are crazy about broken people! We have a special affection for people, regardless of their circumstances, or brokenness, It is our passion and purpose to welcome, encourage, and support people who feel broken and help them find resources to help. Of course, each of us find real comfort and acceptance in the relationships we’ve formed with our church family, but widening our circle of care is something we simply “live for!” It is who we are.
We realize that being crazy about broken people changes who we are, and, how we “do church.” In other words, using all the colors in the crayon box, broken or not, is a guiding principle for our relationships.
We expect broken people to act broken. Expecting people to act fixed before coming to this house of healing is a little ridiculous we think. The church helps people find a place to change rather than requiring people to change before finding their place.
We believe God’s truth has healing power. It isn’t our cleverly-designed ministries that heal people – it’s God’s truth. So it needs to be presented without compromise, saturated with love, and balanced with grace.
We believe that all of us are broken by our own sin and the sins of others. So we understand and we find healing in Jesus together. Some of us are more shattered than others, but all of us are broken.
Healing the broken is a labor of love that takes time, compassion, and involvement. Embracing brokenness is never convenient or easy. It takes time, costs money, and forces us out of our comfort zones.
At First Christian we invite you to add your “special color” to our crayon box! Whether broken, worn down, or even in the midst of a “meltdown,” your faith-masterpiece is under way, and we are in your fan club. Let us know how we can help.