Kintsugi Woman

By: Sandra Lett and Crystal Knapp

Listen Now

My dear friend,

The first example of Kintsugi I ever saw was a picture of a delicate china teacup with its cracks mended with solid gold. I loved the combination of pattern and the surprise of real gold.

So when this cover artwork came across my desk, I wanted it for our Reach UP cover. Not only for its beauty that you might want to frame and put somewhere special. But more because it’s a picture reminding us that while we each have wounds and scars, God’s healing is like “fine gold” making us more beautiful than before.

My desire is that when you look at it, you will remember that your brokenness can be healed by the truth of God’s Word. And that, my Reach UP friend, is more beautiful than fine gold.

Thank you, Sandra Lett, for helping us picture and accept our lasting beauty.

Beautifully accepted,
Crystal Knapp

The Japanese tradition of mending broken pottery with gold highlights imperfections rather than hiding them. Kintsugi, or “joining with gold,” is a 400-year-old tradition for repairing broken objects with gold. When repaired in this way, they are made stronger, more resilient, and even more beautiful than before.

This philosophy applies to more than just mending objects, but to mending people as well. Just like the china teacup, we start out delicate and beautiful. But things in life hit hard, and we think the scars make us ugly. However, when God puts us back together, we are stronger and more beautiful than before — just like the gold on the pottery.

Another tradition, Wabi-Sabi, is valuable as well. It is the acceptance of flaws and imperfection while finding the elegant beauty and joy in them. We accept the uncertainty and imperfection in ourselves, and we celebrate the new strengths we have gained through them.

Last, Kansha is the act of expressing gratitude for our good experiences and our bad experiences, the perfect and the imperfect. It helps us embrace a positive attitude, no matter what we are going through.

To sum it up, Kintsugi demonstrates that imperfections can become beautiful — and also useful. We can live in the present, seeing positivity in every situation, which allows us to live happier, more peaceful, and more meaningful lives.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” PSALM 147:3

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