Broken and Beautiful

I glanced down at my phone to find that I had two missed calls from Adelade’s teacher. Oh no. I knew something must’ve happened. Sure enough, several hours later (after I had done everything in my power to convince her otherwise), we discovered that Adelade’s arm was broken.

So, yesterday, I pinned her hair up in a beautiful bun and helped her struggle into her tights and her sparkly ballet dress, and she posed for me, one arm turned gracefully in perfect ballerina form, and the other awkwardly encumbered by its brokenness.

And, it seemed so obvious to me that I was standing there looking at a picture of all of us, of the ways that each spirit is at the same time so beautiful and so broken.  At the contrast between the perfect love of Christ inside of us and the hurts and wounds that we’ve collected throughout our lives.  At the way that we are always, always battling against the flesh that tries to distract us from the beauty of Christ.

But, when I look at my precious daughter, ten year old ballerina girl, I don’t see the bandage on her arm.  I don’t see the swollen wrist or the lack of strength in it.  All I see is everything beautiful about humanity. I see her, and I love her deeply, and knowing that she is wounded, I am overcome by compassion for her.

If this is how I see my dear little broken ballerina, how much more does God see your beauty? How much more does He love you and feel compassion for you? There is no amount of brokenness that puts His children beyond His reach. And, once you belong to Him, nothing can snatch you from His hand.

Adelade’s arm is broken, yes.  But, she is no less a ballerina while it heals. Dear Christian, you are no less a follower of Christ when you are broken. Run to Him and let Him heal you. And, don’t let your wounds distract you from the beauty of Christ that inhabits your spirit.  In Him, there is healing for all.