Proverbs 4

Kintsugi, Is the ancient Japanese art of taking a broken piece of fine china or pottery and putting it back together using molten gold. The broken pottery, although imperfect, increased in value after the restoration process in which the cracks had been mended with gold.  Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” When the Jewish people would talk about the heart, it was in a comprehensive fashion. The ‘heart’ is the seat of the emotional and intellectual life (the knowing, feeling and willing). Therefore, it makes sense we would be urged “above all else” to guard and be careful with the heart.  Yet life is not perfect. At times our best intentions fall short and our hearts break. We have hurts, frustrations, sorrow and pain which accompany all of us. Praise be to God, that He has His own version of a “golden journey” - one of restoration and redemption. God’s form of Kintsugi does not focus on the cracks or the absence of missing pieces that pain has caused. Rather, the mends and seams, which are refined in the fire and plated now with gold, become a focus and source of celebration!
 
So guard you heart, store up wisdom! Cherish her, love her, and she will watch over you! (vv.  6-9) But remember when we don’t always do it right, God always mends us back stronger and with more value.
 
There are a lot of "Listen's" and "Do not's" in this chapter. All with the intent of (vv. 6-8) our protection and honor. It's so good to know the more we grow in the knowledge (wisdom) of our God, "grace and peace will be ours in abundance" (2 Peter 1:2). That is - His Grace will cover even when we don't get it 100% right. And we will be at peace with it! Thank God for the gold of his Grace with which he fills our cracks, crevices and shortcomings.


Blessings,
Pastor Adrian