Nothing is Ever Wasted – God as Master Kintsugi Artist
Definitions:
Mistake: An act or judgment that is misguided or wrong
Waste: Discarded as worthless, defective, or of no use
Recycle: An act or process of converting a waste into a usable material
Upcycle: Reuse a discarded object or material in such a way as now to create a product of higher value than the original
Reuse: To use something again
Kintsugi art: A Japanese art form that repairs broken pottery with gold, rendering a new piece more exquisite than before the break.
(Merriam-Webster online dictionary)
Nothing is ever wasted, and nothing is ever a mistake. It is all part of God’s plan.
If one writes a beautiful piece of music or a compilation of short stories, never to have the music performed or the stories published, is it considered a waste? If someone majors in a particular field yet decides to work in one different than their degree, does that make the academic degree significant a mistake? In yoga practice, one can attempt to balance in dancer pose repeatedly, always falling out of the pose, never achieving the balance, yet does this necessarily mean that returning to practice the pose repeatedly is a waste of time? The answer to the above questions is no because nothing is ever a mistake, and nothing is ever wasted according to God’s plan. It may not have anything about achieving the pose, pursuing a career, writing stories, or composing music. It may have everything to do with letting go of ego, developing persistence, accepting the challenge, and moving beyond limits on the self.
God provides a purpose for everything. Even though His reason and rationale may not be evident to the human eye, there is a reason for everything. God makes no mistakes. However, when something changes in life, especially if viewed negatively, it is often considered a mistake. For example, if someone majors in a subject matter of interest yet cannot work in the field because it is oversaturated, it is viewed as a mistake and a waste of a four-year degree. Yet, learning and acquiring knowledge is always well-spent. It is simple: God has different plans for applying the acquired knowledge. Far too often, society views a linear path from point A to B to C. Yet the plans God has mapped out are anything but linear.
God is the most skilled in sustainability. He is amazing at reusing, recycling, and upcycling every piece of knowledge, education, skill, ability, experience, and talent each of his children possesses. Nothing is wasted.
Consider the beautiful philosophy of Japanese Kintsugi art. Per the definition, this art form repairs broken pottery using an incredible gold inlay to create a new, more exquisite piece than the previous version. It has a long history of essentially “fixing” broken pottery. Yet, instead of repairing it like it once was and trying to hide the “scars,” the Kintsugi artists, considered master artists and craftspeople, instead highlight those supposed “scars” with gold sparking lacquer. Kintsugi artists are master storytellers through their unique art form. Some pieces use 24K gold, and the philosophy is that embracing the flaws and imperfections creates an even more substantial and more beautiful one-of-a-kind piece of art.
As Vaneetha Risner states in her piece Beauty in the Broken (2022), “God is the restorer, the Kintsugi master who skillfully and tenderly puts the broken pieces of our lives back together. It takes time.” The gold resin can be viewed as the connection and relationship with God through reading the Bible, praying, meditating, and bonding with others to strengthen faith.
Instead of following the idea portrayed in the movie A Christmas Story, where the dad is so desperately trying to make the broken lamp the same once again and camouflaging the breaks, in Kintsugi art, the flaws are accentuated because these artists see broken pottery through different eyes. A Kintsugi artist does not look at the broken pieces and thinks of them as a mess and wasted broken pieces. These artists look at it and think about an opportunity to shape a masterpiece. Where most people see the cracks, worthlessness, and broken pieces, these artists see beauty and restoration - not in the same way as before - in a better and more valuable way because there is a better understanding of transformation and history. It is about using those pieces of history and the journey, recognizing and honoring each piece of the reconstruction and transformation matters. Simply, nothing is ever wasted.
Everything in the world breaks, especially humans, who often do not get it correct. However, being children of God, forgiveness and transformation are essential. The hope is that God’s children will view themselves and one another as Kintsugi artists do, that by using gold lacquer around the edges of the cracks in the so-called mistakes, there will be a transformation into a better, exquisite, stronger version of the current self.
Scripture such as 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 is an excellent example of examining human lives against the backdrop of Kintsugi art.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
Human lives are only outer shells that are fragile, cracking, chipping, breaking, and sometimes shattering due to the obstacles faced in life. Over time, these breaks are repaired and healed as life continues and transformations occur.
Nothing is ever wasted because growth evolves out of breaks and transformation. What matters most is what is inside the outer shell. What is inside is the inner vessel that holds the treasure of the Gospel. This vessel is unbreakable. This is why each of God’s children is as unique as each piece of Kintsugi art, and what makes the work most valuable is that the inner vessel contains that treasure of the Gospel, healing each individual from the inside out.
References:
BibleGateway.com
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%204%3A7-10&version=NIV
Kintsugi art: Beauty in the Broken:
https://www.vaneetha.com/journal/kintsugi-beauty-in-the-broken
Kintsugi – Art of Repair
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com
Dr. Donna Jagielski
Blessings Balance Breath Yoga provides yoga to youth and adults who are underrepresented, underserved, marginalized, and justice-impacted. Dr. Jagielski also serves as the Health & Wellness teacher at a re-entry organization in Phoenix and an adjunct professor at a Christian university.