No matter how broken you are, you can still be used by the Higher Power to accomplish something great. No matter how shattered you think you are, or your life is, you can still be wielded by the One who forged you. Just because you break does not make you automatically useless. You can still deal damage to the enemy.
A shattered sword is still a sharp one.
This is a thought that came to me while contemplating a scene from a particularly popular trilogy. But I do think it highlights a fundamental truth as it can be found in other books and literature as well as linked to other ideas. Allow me to explain.
In The Lord of the Rings trilogy (the particularly popular trilogy mentioned above) Isildur is fighting Sauron one-on-one when Sauron shatters Isildur's sword. Many would think that this is a big deal. How is Isildur suppossed to win against Sauron now? He no longer has a working weapon. Excuse me? A shattered sword is still a sharp one. Isildur is obviously aware of this and with very limited options he does one of the most significant things in the entire movie - removes Sauron's power. And with what? A shattered sword.
In the books (yes, I had to research this as I haven't read the LOTR yet) Isildur takes up a shard of the broken blade, Narsil, and uses it to remove the Ring, and Sauron's power, which can be seen as an even better illustration of this concept - broken things can still be useful.
And that is just one example using a weapon as a symbol, but this is also true when it comes to characters.
Think about it.
A writer or author makes their characters go through tremendously horrific tragedies and trauma, he or she brings their characters to their breaking point. This is how compelling characters are made - readers want to see characters break. But why? I think it is because it highlights this concept - broken things can still be useful - perhaps even the most useful.
As a last example, consider biblical characters, and their struggles. Think of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers and then later imprisoned. Think of Paul, and all the shipwrecks, imprisonment, and persecution he went through. And then of course there is Jesus, God himself (one of the most powerful weapons conceivable) on the Cross. Why? I'd say, that at least in part, it is to showcase how broken things can become the most useful.
So now consider this in your life, whoever you are reading this. Whatever it is you've gone through or are currently battling.
All the pain.
The struggle.
Perhaps you've lost friends and family.
Maybe you've been rejected.
You've definitely accumulated your fair share of scars and hurts over the years. Some of them physical others psychological and spiritual.
Perhaps you're fighting a monster.
You're at a breaking point.
You're broken.
I offer you the following motto in the hopes it will encourage you. . .
A shattered sword is still a sharp one.