Weaknesses are part of human nature. But if we give our imperfections to the Lord, he will shape us into something beautiful.
Photo by Lucas Rychvalsky
We’re all imperfect and thus have weaknesses. Oftentimes, we see these limitations as failures. We aspire to reach our full potential but are unable to reach that point on our own. However, when we learn to trust in the Lord, he can mold us into the people we are meant to be.
I was reminded of this truth in the article “The Jadeite Cabbage,” by Ellen C. Jensen. She describes visiting the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan, and seeing the beautiful Jadeite Cabbage sculpture. It’s not the likeness of a vegetable that makes the sculpture impressive; rather, its history is what makes it significant and beautiful.
The Jadeite Cabbage began as a very flawed piece of jade, but in the hands of a master carver, it was turned into a highly valued piece of art. This is noteworthy because carvers usually choose to only sculpt pieces of jade that are without cracks and imperfections. However, the Jadeite Cabbage’s initial flaws are what make the final work’s features so realistic and beautiful.
Like the Jadeite Cabbage, each of us is flawed. While our imperfections may trouble us, we must realize that in the hands of the Master Carver, Jesus Christ, we too can become perfect. Christ has said that “if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. . . . Then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27). If we show Christ our weaknesses—our flawed pieces—he will shape them into something beautiful.
For more ideas about overcoming imperfections through Christ, read Ellen C. Jensen’s article, “The Jadeite Cabbage.”
Source: Ensign
—Tiffanie Abbott, Mormon Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY NINA UHLIKOVA
Find more insights
Read Wendy Ulrich’s article “It Isn’t a Sin to Be Weak” to learn the difference between inadequacies and sins.
Watch or read Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s talk “Notwithstanding My Weakness” to learn how to overcome feelings of inadequacy.
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