THE ART OF RESTORATION

​When we think of kintsugi, we often picture it in a museum-like setting. We often see this Japanese art as a broken piece of pottery with lightning-like streaks of gold leaf, set against a sterile background. In this form, we admire the artistry—its beauty as an artifact.

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But what truly captivates me is a different image—one of an ordinary repaired plate, back in use, surrounded by cups and a tea kettle, waiting to serve someone again. Pottery, after all, is meant to be functional. Yet, when kintsugi is displayed like a sculpture, removed from its original context, we sometimes forget it once had a purpose beyond mere beauty.

Now that it's mended, is it "just" art?

There’s nothing wrong with appreciating kintsugi as art. It is, undeniably, beautiful.

However, as a symbol of restoration in human lives, I resonate more with the practical image of that plate. It’s not just restored in form but also in function. We weren’t made to sit on pedestals. God doesn’t just mend us to marvel at the result — God restores us for a purpose. We are crafted for every day, practical use.

God is indeed an Artist. The ability to repair our deepest wounds is something to marvel at. But as much as our lives testify to God's skill, God’s ultimate aim isn’t just to display us. God’s grand purpose is to restore all of humanity, bringing us into loving communion with God’s own self and each other.

God mends us so we can live with God and reclaim our unique purpose in the world. Spiritual restoration isn’t about appearances or even perfecting our idiosyncrasies—it’s about healing what holds us back from love.

When we welcome the Spirit’s renewal, we become practical art of the highest order, made to serve—no task too lowly, no service too wide—for God's kingdom.

Lord, mend us with your artist’s eye and steady hand, and conform us to your pattern, your son Jesus. Restore us to the joy of your way of life; a life of practical love and service to one another. Amen.
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Peace,
Travis Segar
Pastor for Care and Community