Broken Instruments

She had fallen in love with the Epiphone guitar, with the John Lennon signature but we knew that we could not afford it. So she tried several guitars, but kept looking longingly at the Epiphone and returning to it. Arvo had promised her a guitar if the Giants won the World Series, but he didn't promise her a good guitar.

When we mentioned we were guitar shopping to her teacher, he asked which she was leaning towards.
"I liked the Lennon Epiphone," she said wistfully.
"That's a good one," he agreed.

Asherel is a good kid, and I knew she would not beg for a guitar we could not afford. On the other hand, she is begging for an iPhone, but she has offered to pay for it herself. Her dog sitting business is booming and the future is too distant to worry about things like how to pay for college or a car. She has set aside money that she plans to give to a worthy cause from her earnings, and the rest is burning a hole in her greed-control. However, it is not enough to buy the Epiphone. We discussed that she should spend a long time searching for just the right guitar, as it would be one she would likely own for many years.We knew the perfect guitar would find her.

Last night, Arvo called from work. He had been perusing Craig's List and had found an Epiphone guitar for sale. It was being sold by the cousin of the lead guitarist of the band, Kiss. It had a surface crack,just in the lacquer, but was otherwise in beautiful condition.
"Are you sure you should get it without asking Asherel?" I warned.
It was apparently a stupendous enough deal he was willing to take a chance.

So he lay the case down in front of Asherel and told her to open it. She obviously knew it was a guitar, but she didn't know which guitar.
"Oh wow," she said, smiling as she opened the case. The coveted Epihone gleamed before her. I don't think she even noticed the crack. She lifted it out of the case and strummed a few chords.
"It's easy to play!" she announced, "Thank you!"

I will look into the cost of having the crack repaired. However, there is something about the crack in the beloved guitar that reminds me of our relationship with God. We are all flawed, all cracked instruments in the hands of the Maestro. But when He looks at us, He doesn't see the cracks..... all He sees is our potential to make music with our souls that rise in response to His direction.

Maybe I should leave the crack as a reminder.....

2 Timothy 2: 20-22
...some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.  ²² Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Psalm 51:16-18 (New International Version, ©2010)

¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
   you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is^[a] a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart
   you, God, will not despise.