Blessed, Broken, Given

   Drew Theo School was blessed to have Yvette Flunder (http://www.radicallyinclusive.com/) who spoke many powerful messages throughout the course of her day. The one that touched me the most was "blessed, broken, and given". Our lives are like Jesus' for we are blessed, broken, and given as people of God. We are like the communion bread that we partake in. However, all too often people just want to be blessed.

  Blessings in the Hebrew Scriptures were symbolized by the pouring of oil. The only problem with oil is that you can wash it off (can you wash off a blessing?) However, if we are blessed, then we will be broken, and brokenness is not something that can easily be washed away by tears or time. It leaves scars - marks of healing. We are an oil-seeking culture and Church, wanting temporary blessings that we can choose to acknowledge or wash away when its inconvenient. But brokenness.... 

  Time and time again I've been rejoicing in my brokenness. When I am broken the most, I realize, is when God is preparing me for some big time giving of myself. We are not givers by nature, we are created into givers. And when we are broken we have something to give and share with a broken world. For God never leaves us broken but always bring us hope to show others.

   So may we move past just being blessed to embracing brokenness and the giving (and sharing) of authentic and entire selves for God's Shalom.