Smashing!

About eighteen years ago, I purchased a collection of Rooster ceramic plates on a rusty-metal rack. They looked great! We figured the best place for them was in the dining room, so that’s where we hung them.

Often, throughout the years I’ve looked at the rusty-metal rack and have been inspired to display my western-scene bear and coyote ceramic plates, but then I hear a faint, glass-smashing sound and I just shake off the thought. Meanwhile, I have a lonely display rack begging for ceramic, make that plastic, plates to display*.

One day when I came home my wife said to me, “Honey, I’m so sorry about your plate.” When I asked what had happened, she told me she was sweeping and ‘accidentally’ hit the rack and smashed a plate. I was silent for a few seconds, then told her it was okay since I still had three more. That’s when she said, “Well, not really.” “See, I swept back & broke another one.” I was silent again thinking that at least two plates had survived the storm. As I asked to see the remaining two, I was informed she swept back and broke a third one. At that point I was really questioning how much of an ‘accident’ this really was… “Well, I asked, did anything survive?” “Yeah”, she said “The rusty-metal rack.” I asked her, “Honey, what did you do???” You must have had some kind of party accidentally sweeping back and forth again and again.” I couldn’t grasp how that could have been an accident. Usually, at the sound of breaking glass we stop, but she kept going and going and going.

Well, on a regular basis my wife will tell me to clean up or get rid of stuff. Then, for years, she’s been telling me, “It’s very frustrating for me, cause you won’t allow me to clean up for you.” Are you kidding?!! If that was an accident back then, I can only imagine what intentional looks like!!! Graciously, I tell her I will put things away and try my darndest to do so. Of course, I inconspicuously make sure to keep brooms away from her at those times.

Now and then, most of us have had items of significance taken away, whether through an ‘accident’ caused by others or ourselves. It sometimes hurts. Sometimes, it may not have been an item but maybe a person or a job that was lost. When our dreams are shattered, no amount of glue can paste them back. Neither welding, smelting, or other means can replace what is gone. If your life is broken, smashed asunder, only Jesus can bond it back; only He can rebuild it. Only He can give us new dreams and new hopes. Only Jesus can display your life for others to see, and it doesn’t have to be on a rusty-metal rack. He’ll put your name in The Lamb’s Book Of Life (Revelation 21:27) and all of heaven will know who you are. Everyone around you here on earth will know you were once broken but now are whole; made new.