I had a great conversation with one of our Academy mom’s.  She said: "I walked into the living room and all over the floor were piles of crayons that looked like they’d gotten into a fight.  My preschool-age daughter, had peeled off their paper wrappers and broken each and every last crayon.  When I asked why - she just looked at me and said, “Mommy, color.”  Later, I was on my knees picking up the crayons, I broke down … exhausted.  My life had come crashing down - broken like the crayons.  I’d been let go from my job.  Facing divorce.  Looking at my finances that I would now be carrying as a single mom, I was a mess.  Thinking back on my daughter’s comment - “Mommy, color” - I realized she was saying, “Yeah, I broke the crayons, Mom, but they still work!”"

As I thought about what she said, I thought what a wonderful picture of our caring Lord.  We think our brokenness discounts us.  And yet there are stories all throughout the Bible showing broken people whom God rescues and welcomes.  There’s a beautiful story in the Bible.  The Scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to the temple courts.  Could you imagine being caught in the very act of your biggest mistake, arrested and dragged into a public setting to be killed?  When they kept on questioning him, he said, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time until only Jesus was left.  Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?’  ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared.  ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’” (John 8:7-11)   You see what just happened?  He flipped the script.  He chose to show love to a woman who, to her community, was blemished and worthy of death.  Her brokenness didn’t discount her access to, and love from, the Savior of the universe.

Think about that!  When you decide to bring your hurts to the Lord and into the light, hope and healing can be yours.  Jesus is choosing you right now.  We all have things that have deeply hurt us.  We need healing, restoration and freedom. Because of Jesus you can absolutely look at all your past mistakes, sin, and declare that they don’t get to have the final say.  When Jesus died for you - He was declaring that those things don’t get the final say, God does.  He’s not done with you.

Broken crayons still color!  My life is proof!

Tom