Benji dropped his backpack on the floor and bent down to pet Ranger, who was so excited, he wagged not only his tail, but his entire back end. Benji laughed and headed into the kitchen for a snack. Mom wouldn’t be home for another hour, but she always left something for him after school. He scanned the counter and grabbed an apple and a pack of peanut butter crackers. As he reached into the cupboard for a glass, his elbow knocked into Mom’s mug, which perched unevenly on the drying rack.

Benji saw the whole scene in slow motion. The mug tumbled to the floor and the handle snapped clean off. Ranger yelped and skittered away. No, no, no. That was Mom’s favorite mug. He’d bought it for her with his own money at the school store when he was in first grade. Best Mom Ever, it said, with flowers surrounding the script. He’d been so proud to give it to her, and she drank her morning coffee in it ever since.

Benji dropped the snacks onto the counter and gathered the pieces. Maybe it was salvageable. He laid them on the kitchen table and hunted in the junk drawer for glue. Yes. Sure enough, there was a small tube of epoxy. Painstakingly, he fitted the pieces together, recreating the mug that meant so much to his mother. When he was finished, the cracks were still visible along the handle. but the mug was intact. He set the mug back on the counter and ate his snack.

After throwing away the apple core, Benji glanced around the room. The dishwasher had been run. He put away the dishes and emptied the trash can. By the time he had finished, the squeak of the front door told him Mom was home.

A moment later, Mom entered the kitchen. “Hey bud. How was your day?” Mom moved to the trash can to throw away a tissue. She turned to face Benji. “You took out the trash. Thank you. Her eyebrows lifted as she noticed the empty sink. “And you emptied and loaded the dishwasher? Wow. What’s going on?”

Benji shifted from foot to foot. “I wanted to do something nice for you, that’s all.” He kept his gaze on the floor.

Mom reached over and lifted his chin with a finger. “It’s just you and me, kid. Remember we promised to always be honest with each other?”

Benji swallowed against the lump in his throat. “I’m so sorry, Mom. I knocked your mug to the floor and broke the handle. But I glued it back together. Hopefully it will be good as new once it’s completely dry.”

Mom moved over to the counter, lifted the mug, and examined it. “You’re right. There are some cracks, but this mug is now even better than it was before.”

Benji stared at her. “But if you can see the cracks, why is is better?”

Mom smiled. “Because every time I use this, I ‘ll remember not only that you cared enough to buy it for me, but also that you cared enough to take the time to repair it.” She gestured to Benji. “Come sit with me for a minute.”

Benji followed Mom to the couch. She settled in and turned to face him, her face serious. “When your father left us, I was devastated. It’s safe to say, I was broken. I thought if my husband didn’t love me enough to stay around, I wasn’t worthwhile. I didn’t feel worthy of love. But God reached out to me at that time. He told me I wasn’t alone. I had Him, and I had a precious first grader who thought the world of me. God told me He loved me enough to send His Son to die for me. God told me my job was to let Him love me, and through that love, to love you. And that was enough. And soon after that, you bought me that mug. So every day, I remember, I am enough. And you think I’m the best mom ever.”

Benji wrapped an arm around Mom’s shoulders. “You are the best mom ever. I never doubt how much you love me. I’m glad that mug is special to you. But I don’t understand how it can be better now that its broken.”

Mom’s eyes shone. “Oh, but that’s just it. I was broken, too, just like the mug. But God didn’t leave me in a broken place. He loved me and strengthened me, and now I’m stronger than I was before your dad left. And this mug reminds me that God can heal the brokenhearted. And you, my son, are a blessing every day.”

Psalm 34:18

 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

God thank You for never giving up on us, even when the world does. Our worth is not found in how others view us or treat us. Our true value can be found only in You. You love us enough to take the broken pieces of our heart and put them back together. Please help us remember that our worth is found in being Your child, not in any measure of the world. And when life gives us cuts, scrapes, and bruises, please help us see how You use those trials to help us grow stronger. In Jesus’ name, Amen.