Beach Glass
I love beach glass. I remember hunting for it with my Uncle John along the beaches in New England. Whenever we found a piece we felt like we had found a treasure, especially if it was a color we had not seen in a while. While people avoid broken glass because of its sharp edges, shards of glass that have been sanded are beautiful. Think about that for a minute.
Once upon a time beach glass was part of something whole and unbroken but somehow it became broken and lost. It was in essence garbage; It had lost its value and worth. And then those small fragments were sanded smooth and frosty by the action of water and sand over time. The glass had to give up its old life (or had it taken away) to become something new. It experienced a metamorphosis that did not come until its original form was broken.
There are some rough applications (no pun intended) that can be made about people. When we are wounded and broken we tend to injure others, whether intentionally or inadvertently. But the storms and waves sand those jagged edges and make something amazing! Finding examples of God’s restoration and redemption is a joyful treasure. Sanding and storms are not enjoyable. In fact, they actually are harsh, even painful. But the process is necessary to create beach glass. There is no other way to get the end result. No chance of becoming reclaimed and recycled without the rough season.