I recently learned of the Japanese art of kintsugi. Kintsugi (literally “kin” = golden and “tsugi” = repair) is the practice of using precious metals, such as gold or silver, to restore broken pottery or dishes in a way that renders a new piece which is in many ways better than the original. The photo above is an example of kintsugi. The repair does not attempt to hide or conceal the breaks, but recognizes that the breaks and cracks, when enhanced, result in a beauty not evident in the original dish.

Kintsugi is a perfect picture of restoration. Ryan Johnson (https://ryanjohnson.us/god-is-restoring-you-to-be-better-than-before/) has defined it this way:

“Restoration is to receive back more than has been lost to the point where the final state is greater than the original condition.”

I think most of us think of restoration as repairing an item or relationship back to its original condition. Johnson’s definition of restoration goes beyond simple repair and speaks of enhanced value or greater return on investment.

Let’s look at this definition of restoration in terms of a partnership or business relationship. There are times in the workplace when two individuals simply do not see eye-to-eye. Something has been said or done to create a split in the relationship. Two individuals that may have worked together on projects in the past now barely speak or cannot work in the same beneficial way they did in the past. Pride or competitiveness has replaced trust and cooperation. The result may be that work productivity or quality has diminished. If restoration of the relationship could occur, you might not completely erase the cracks and defects, but you have created something more valuable than would have occurred otherwise.

Many relationship issues exist with families or friends. Often, the individuals involved cannot even remember what caused the problem in the first place. Repairing broken relationships requires that one individual is willing to take the first step. This step can be as simple as a phone call, text, note, or invitation. By reaching out, you have at least opened the door to a conversation.

I’m reminded of a conversation with a friend a few years ago. This individual’s daughter was preparing to marry someone without his blessing. My friend was so upset at the prospect of this marriage that he was contemplating not attending the wedding. He felt that by attending, it would be inferred that he approved. By not attending, he would risk breaking the relationship to the point that he may not remain in his daughter’s life. He was caught between two difficult choices. What would you have done? Do you compromise your belief/position and retain the ability to remain an important individual in your daughter’s life or do risk a broken relationship to make a point as a parent?

Sometimes, we must swallow our pride, take a risk, soften a stance, or simply give in to retain the ability to maintain or restore a broken relationship. We often forget that creating or building a relationship often requires sacrifice… we must do what is best for others before meeting our own needs. So, if we value the relationship, we may need to take the first step.

Perhaps the greatest example of a restored relationship is what God has done to restore the broken relationship between us and Him. Let’s face it, we have all failed to meet God’s standard of perfection that only His Son, Jesus, could attain. But, despite the fact that we fall woefully short of God’s mark, He provided a way to bridge that gap and restore our relationship. (Read more about God’s bridge to us in What is your hope?)

So, the challenge today is this… Do you have a relationship that is in need of repair? Do you need to apply the principle of kintsugi to create something beautiful from that pile of broken pieces that might be worthless. When we are able to achieve restoration in a relationship, we can create something that has more value than we could imagine. Why is keeping you from taking that first step today?