A Broken Bowl

READ: ROMANS 12:4-8; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-27

Mehul balanced the mud-colored bowl in his palms as he stared out at the shore from his small workshop. Down at the ocean’s edge, his friend Sadira was training the young sea dragons, preparing them for the sea riders. Her brother, Taizeen, sat in the sand nearby practicing his harp. The soft plucks intermingled with the lapping of water, threatening calmness to Mehul’s restless mind.

With a furrowed brow he gazed at the bowl in his hand. It was plain, like all the bowls, jars, and cups he made. What purpose do these pieces of pottery even serve in the village? What purpose do I serve?

He dashed the bowl to the ground. It shattered, and the pieces flew across the room. He bent and pulled at a shard that had struck him in the leg, wincing at the pain.

A gasp came from the doorway of his workshop. Looking up, Mehul saw Mother Elyah, the village doctor, coming toward him. She said, “Let me help with that. I was stopping by anyway for a jar.” Before he knew it, she had tenderly extracted the piece. Then she motioned for him to sit while she got a fresh cloth and cool water to clean the wound. Grabbing a strip of fabric and a pinch of sweet-smelling herbs from her bag, she wrapped his leg expertly. After she finished, Mother Elyah inspected the shards on the dirt floor. “What happened here?”

Mehul felt his face flush. Turning to his workbench, he searched through the clutter of clay to find a jar for her. “I guess I was just preoccupied.” He handed her a dirt-colored container. Another ordinary piece of pottery.

Smiling, she ran her hand across the smooth exterior. “This will be a great help to me, thank you Mehul. Make sure to clean up those shards.” She turned to leave.

“Wait…you said I helped you?”

“Of course, as you do the entire village.” Mother Elyah nodded. She hesitated, then continued, “Remember Mehul, that our bodies have many parts, and each part does its own special work. The feet need the legs, the hands need the arms… and so it is with us. As people of the Living One, we are His body. Each of us does certain things well, and we all belong to each other. No one part of the body—and no one person—is less important than the others. All are needed.” And with that she was on her way.

Mehul was left staring at the doorway. He thought of her using his jar to store away the sprigs of fragrant herbs she used in her medicine. Other images also appeared in his mind, of the meals he shared with Sadira and Taizeen—spiced curries served in his simple brown bowls.

He retrieved a broken piece from the floor and held it up to the light with a growing smile. “I’ll have to start a new one. Someone will need it.” • Sophia Bricker

• Have you ever felt like Mehul? Like you don’t have a purpose, or like what you do makes no difference or is just ordinary? We all feel this way from time to time, and Jesus sees us, with all our pain and questions, and He longs to help us. Consider taking some time to talk to Him about whatever you’re struggling with. You can also ask Him to show you how He sees you. You may notice His reply in the next few days or weeks as you spend time in prayer, as you interact with fellow Christians, or as you read His Word, the Bible.

• Jesus died and was raised from the dead so that His body—the church—could be made whole. Once we put our trust in Jesus, we are included in His body and we receive the Holy Spirit. How could thinking about the ways our bodies function help us remember that each of us has value and purpose in the body of Christ?

• Reread 1 Corinthians 12:4-7. What kinds of spiritual gifts, natural abilities, skills, or talents has God given you? Who are trusted Christians in your life who could help you discern what you’re good at and how God might be calling you to serve others?

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)