As I was shopping for goodies for my granddaughter’s Easter basket, I was reminded of the best surprise I ever found in my own basket: an unexpected, colourful cardboard tube sticking out next to the chocolate bunny. It was a kaleidoscope, and it made beautiful changing scenes with just the turn of the wrist. But curious me, I had to know HOW. I knew there was something inside; I could hear pieces rattling around… What was the secret sauce? I decided to investigate.
The cardboard tube was easy enough to break into. To my surprise, I found three pieces of mirrored paper forming a triangular prism, and then I discovered the real source of the beauty. But instead of priceless jewels or rare gems, I found only fragments of colourful plastic—what looked like parts from discarded costume jewelry or useless scraps from mechanical devices like springs and screws and fasteners. It was junk, really, but with the proper reflection through that three-sided mirror, it transformed into something that seemed closer to a masterpiece.
This is what God can do when we give Him all our broken pieces. I love that the mirror inside a kaleidoscope is three-sided, like the Trinity. In addition to the reflection through the fullness of God, it takes some breaking for the full glory to be seen. Smooth, unbroken pieces of plastic or whole watches would never do for the awe-inspiring kaleidoscope display.
As Christians, we long for a sturdy belief system. Yet sometimes, doubts and questions can fracture our faith. Scripture contains a compilation of poetry, stories, songs, and prayers. And at least a third of the psalms are made up of laments—hard conversations with God. Even Jesus Himself lamented on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 NIV). A harrowing part of a beautiful plotline.
All the pieces of your story (including the difficult ones) become part of what God is creating. By giving God all the messy, jagged pieces of your heart and not withholding the hard conversations, the questions, and the struggles, your faith can sparkle. What feels like broken pieces can become an assembled masterpiece.
Sometimes, as long-time believers, we shy away from deep faith questions. But when we question and struggle, we end up with a broken-in faith—a faith that’s not necessarily tidy and predictable but one that’s real and beautiful. And as I think back to Easter, I can't help but reflect that our God not only comes close to us in our brokenness but is willing to be broken by us, for us. And that's a big part of the masterpiece, too.
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