Matt's Muzings
Valuing Brokenness
To help you think, ponder and reflect on the human side of leadership
March, 2007 Volume 9, Issue 75
Images come to my mind when I think of things that are broken; a car by the side of the highway, a fine china plate in pieces on the floor, my Ipod sitting lifelessly on the desk, a pile of plastic and cloth that once was a chair. As I look at these things I wonder, ‘What good are they?’ These items are of little value in their present state.
So then, what does it mean when God values our brokenness?
Ps. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
I believe when God is talking about brokenness, He is referring to our willingness to admit the painfully, stained and dying condition we are in. Our unbrokenness is a willful blindness, combined with a militant arrogance that keeps us in the condition of defensiveness against God.
Let me link this muzing to the last one I wrote.
What must be broken is our defensiveness against God. We must remove the purposeful blinders and practiced independence and declare our condition and ask for help.
Adam’s first response was to hide and then blame God (The ultimate defense), rather than be exposed.
Cain broke his brother (murder), rather then to be exposed (broken) before God.
Abram’s fear of man (he gave his wife away) was the fruit of his lack of brokenness before God.
Lest we think that we are safe and spiritualize everything. I will say it another way. To the degree that I lower my defenses against people, to that same degree have I lowered my defenses against God. To love, to care for our neighbor is the fruit of having become vulnerable before God.
We must see our brokenness, not as something that means we are now whole and we become broken and of no use. We must see it in the more organic sense of hard ground that must be broken up in order to produce life. Or like a thin layer of scum on the surface of water that is killing the life under it. It must be removed.
Henri Nouwen wrote of spending time with the brokenhearted, “Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to the place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.”
If a leader has not received grace and comfort in his own brokenness he or she will not be willing to walk with others in their pain and struggle. In essence, we must be aware that an unbroken leader cannot be trusted.
Pray and ask God for the gift of brokenness. It is a precious gift he offers us and something we cannot do on our own, but the fruit of it is healing, hope and life to us and others. (Once you get over the shock and pain of it).
Family Matters:
Matt: We had a great time at the workshop in KL. God was very faithful to show up. We had some excellent teaching and wonderful dialogue as a group. It was really encouraging to me to see the group dialogue as I was concerned that people would not share in front of others.
Celia: Janna, Eva and I had a wonderful time in Bali teaching the staff of mercy ministries who work with children. They came from all over Indonesia for 5 days of teaching, art and working together. Some other highlights, we celebrated Eva’s birthday and traveled across the island – up the mountain and down, ate Mexican food , visited a family in a village and walked on Jimbaran beach. Great that God is in all of life! Also, enjoyed the conference in Malaysia. Malaysia is celebrating it’s 40th birthday as a nation. So I think the conference was timely.
Josh: He is working and doing good. He has bought a motorcycle and has fixed his truck. Not much news from his world.