Some of us CrossLifers have been talking lately about brokenness.
When is something broken? What does it mean for something to be broken? When it needs to be repaired. When it isn’t working properly. If something is broken, it is usually no longer valuable.
What about people? What does it mean for a person to be broken? We concluded this: the same thing. Someone can be in a broken relationship that isn’t working and needs repair and restoration. Someone can be a broken person – too many mistakes, dirty past, not enough talent, not as pretty as the other girls, dropped out, quit, never succeeded – not considered valuable.
In our conversations we talked about broken people in the Bible. I’ll name five of them, but there are at least ten more. Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Mary Magdalene and the apostle Paul.
We realized something. God is attracted to brokenness. The barrenness of Abraham and Sarah. The demonic struggles of Mary Magdalene. Think of Jesus, and the attention he gave to those in need of healing, or to thieves or prostitutes. As a matter of fact, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they weren’t broken (well, that’s what they said and believed).
So we might say it this way, “Blessed are the broken.” They’re kinda put together with some missing pieces. They’re too rough for most folks. Need fixing. Little to no value. Jesus says, “I’d rather work with that than with someone who is so polished and perfect they don’t think they need to be saved.”
David, a broken man himself, knew he needed fixing. And when God promised to put him back together by grace, David believed in that loving mercy. David trusted that God wanted his brokenness, and that was the best place for it.
“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).
PRAYER: Jesus, I live in a broken world full of broken relationships and broken things. If I’m honest, I am broken, too. I believe that you broke open the heavens to save me, and that you are attracted to brokenness, Lord. Fix me. Save me. Restore me to become more of your masterpiece day by day. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY: Okay, so list another 10 people in the Bible who are broken.
