I recently read that Groucho Marx said, “Blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light.” I had to reread the quote a few times. You have to be cracked for the light to get in there, so being cracked is a blessing even though it’s not usually what we think when we think of something being cracked. When you crack your favorite ceramic bowl, you cannot use it because it will leak everywhere. We don’t like things to be cracked unless we are making eggs for breakfast. But Marx points to the blessing of being cracked.
Cracked, or brokenness, is a wonderful thing. Marx is right, being cracked is a blessing. I love how he says that it lets the light in. I think about you and I and our cracks, our brokenness, and how God moves within the cracks for His good purpose. In Psalm 51:17, we read: “The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God” (CSB). It pleases God if we come with a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart. A cracked heart, cracked open for Jesus to have His way in us. Joel 2:13 says: “And tear your heart and not merely your garments. Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in mercy And relenting of catastrophe” (NASB). We need to be cracked open so God can move through us fully. We need to be broken so that God can shine through us. We need to be cracked so we stop being so full of us and can instead be full of the Spirit of God.
We grow more through our cracks of life. The hardships. The scars. The pain. The loss. Our strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). As James reminds us, we should count it a joy when we have trials, when we are cracked, because it produces patience (James 1:2-3). So whether the cracks are painful situations in life, or we are behind the cracks — whether we are breaking ourselves in humility or we are being humbled by brokenness — may the Light be let in. May God get the glory that He alone deserves. Blessed are the cracked for they will see God shine!
Tania Gutekunst 