The Broken Branch

For the last three springs in our current home, I've delighted in raising the blinds that cover several windows lining our kitchen. Looking out into the wooded area that abuts our back yard, I have the joy of seeing life laid dormant over the harsh winter begin to peek out in vibrant green and, over several weeks, grow to fill out the bare trees and shrubs. Once again, God makes all things new.

Such was the scene out our windows earlier this week as I raised the blinds and noticed something curious about one of the small trees nearest our house. Several trees had been damaged by an ice storm last winter, losing limbs to the weight of the ice. This particular tree had survived with the exception of one branch. The branch didn't completely sever, and we left it to dangle because it was relatively small, it was supported by sturdier branches below and -- I'll be honest here -- we don't do much in the way of landscaping. I had presumed, however, that the branch would remain somewhat of an eyesore, hanging lifeless amid all the lush leaves. But this week I noticed it was sprouting buds.

Again, I have virtually no horticultural knowledge. Our house is filled with artificial plants and every summer I struggle to keep even a tiny crop of basil alive. So maybe it isn't an oddity to see a broken tree branch sprout leaves. Still, God used it to illustrate an important concept to me: He can make broken things beautiful. In fact, it's His specialty.

Scripture is filled with examples of notably flawed people chosen by the Lord to accomplish amazing things. Moses fled his royal home in Egypt after killing an Egyptian, but God used him to lead His people out of bondage and into a land of their own. Rahab, a prostitute, helped ensure the fall of Jericho when she hid Israeli spies on the roof of her home. While most people in Jesus' time considered tax collectors despicable because they were known to pocket portions of the money they collected, Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of His disciples. The Apostle Paul had been persecuting early Christians when God struck him temporarily blind on the road to Damascus. Despite Paul's responsibility for the death of Christ-followers, God used him to spread the Gospel, nurture the early church and to write the bulk of the New Testament.

These are just a few examples. Nearly every person named in Scripture comes with a less-than-flattering feature. Still, God used them for His glory. So why would a sovereign God want to use a broken person to carry out His purposes? Those considered upright have a way of claiming glory for themselves. Broken people understand they don't have strength or power of their own and rely on God to work through them. And if they live their lives acknowledging God's hand in their accomplishments, He gets the glory. God allows us to participate in His work, despite our obvious shortcomings, and He makes something beautiful out of it.

Looking out my window, I'm reminded that I'm a lot like that broken branch. I'm a bit scrawny, compared to those around me, and life's storms have done their share of damage. Some days I feel like I'm barely hanging onto the tree, and I rely on God to hold me up. He nourishes me through His Word and the Spirit and, despite what I feel like day to day, I know He'll produce something beautiful. And it will be to His glory.