Broken Together

As I worked with my faculty mentor and my co-student mentor in preparation for the incoming freshmen that we'll be working with, we put together a vision for the upcoming eight weeks.  As I had scribbled down some notes in preparation the night before, I wrote that I wanted our group to be saturated by God and be broken together.  It was one of those late night thoughts that just kind of happened.  I hadn't really thought anything else of it until my faculty mentor said that it was kind of profound.

I was kind of confused until he explained.  He said that when a person is broken, the pieces seem to scatter.  Because of this, it is relatively uncommon to be broken together.

By being broken together we can break the notion that we all have to have everything together.  Churches are not museums, but rather they are hospitals for the broken.  I don't remember where I read that, but it struck me.  For so many years I thought I had to be perfect.  Good at 'church'.  Without flaws.  Always taking care of others.

But I've learned that I can take off the mask.  In trusted circles, or with close friends, I can share my struggles.  I can listen to who they are, the good and the bad.

We can be broken together.  And that's okay.