Broken Things

She walked in my room and stood in front of me with a sweet smile on her face.  Slowly she unclenched her fist.  Displayed in the middle of her tiny palm was a small, pink, broken piece of plastic she'd unearthed while playing downstairs. 

At first glance, her find looked insignificant.  Like a useless piece of trash.  Something to be discarded.  Something to be thrown away. 

So I suggested she do just that.  Toss it.  Throw it away.  Get rid of it.  Especially if it's unnecessary, if it's taking up space, or if it's in the way.  Especially if it seems to have no purpose.

Her response was compassionate and caring as she looked down at her newly-discovered treasure. 

"But Mom ... I collect broken things."

She absolutely does.  I find them scattered in various obscure places around her room--constantly.  Broken hair clips, misplaced necklace beads, lost bird feathers, old shopping receipts, torn ribbons, fragmented sea shells, unattached buttons.  She considers them her treasures.  I consider them trash.

As I opened my mouth to respond to her, I was suddenly rendered speechless by her words.  It was at that moment I heard a gentle whisper in my spirit saying,

"I collect broken things, too."

Yes.  He does.  Just like my little girl.  The Lord sees.  He notices.  He seeks.  He picks up and He holds all which is broken. 

He does not ignore.  He does not discard.  He does not toss to the side.  He does not throw out.

At any given moment on any given day, we might find ourselves in great need of repair.  Our hearts have been broken, crushed by someone or something.  We feel certain our life is just one big pile of rubble, ready and waiting for the waste removal truck to haul it away.  But take heart...

When the pain is the greatest, the Lord is most present.

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalm 34:18

Thank you, Lord, for being so very close when we so very need it.  You restore and You heal. 

Thank you for being a collector of broken things.