By Pr. Rhoda Klein Miller.
Five jagged pieces of eggshell lay in the glass bowl cradling a slimy mass of yolk and white between them. “Oh dear!” exclaimed teacher Leanne during her Kids Church illustration. “Can this egg be fixed?” Overpowering a few head shakes and soft “no”s Flynn voiced a different response. “Well my dad has a garage and in that place he has Gorilla glue and he can fix it.” Now Emma pops to her feet to add “My, my daddy has a toolbox and inside there’s ducky tape and he could use that to put it together.” I’m the grinning observer imagining baby Maya in a couple years bragging about her dad with a tool called a welder that could definitely repair this broken egg.
One of the criticisms against Christianity is the spiritual abuse from describing people as sinful and broken and using shame as a manipulative tool. There is truth to these charges. We have strayed from Jesus’ example. He warmly and gently embraced the most broken individuals. He also loved them too much to leave them in that state. Jesus was all about liberating and healing. “I do not condemn you” were His words to a woman charged with adultery (John 8:11). “Go and avoid the sin that plagues you.” These are words of emancipation, dripping with supernatural power for victory and offering a more abundant life.
If only we could hold onto the same confidence young kids have in their father’s ability to restore what is broken. We would not be so discouraged by our own failings or oppress people for theirs. I hope and pray my words echo the empowering message of Jesus so more would trust His good intentions to forgive and uplift humanity.
