Friday, September 19, 2008
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Framing the Imperfect
When I walk into my accounts, I try not to notice personal objects and artwork. My business is the plant, not complimenting artwork or expensive knickknacks. Yet I always find myself stopping when I see children's artwork framed and put into a place of honor.
These pieces seem whimsical, depicting joy and a pure innocence. The colors may be smeared in places to the color of vomit, one eye could be twice as big as the other, and the sun may have a face...yet the parent of the little artist sees something beautiful. Not having children, I can't imagine how much fresh air the art brings to their mother's or father's long, post-lunch hours.
If they were only hanging on the fridge, would the vomit-green look like mushed peas, and would the sun's face appear "evil" after being splashed by water or knocked to the linoleum? How can a simple frame and a permanent location turn these school art-projects into something gallery-worthy?
As I turned out of an office today, smiling at the image of three, blue birds with very teeny wings, I wondered how God feels about our immature attempts at something good. When I painted as a child, I thought that my work was absolutely wonderful! Why shouldn't it be framed and put in place where everyone could see it?! Fifteen years later, however, I have to beg my mother to throw those "treasures" away. Now, all I see are the grotesque proportions and flawed perspective; why should she value that?
Not to criticize God, but I've sometimes thought things would be so much better if he didn't use us to spread the Gospel. We're so imperfect, yet we seem to think that everything we do smoothly spreads his message...at least for myself. Too many times as I'm "witnessing" or sharing some wisdom, I think how amazing I am, how much good I'm doing for Jesus. Then later, as I replay my words, I realize I need to repent and then pray the Holy Spirit fixes what I broke.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:10-11, NIV
It seems that in using us, God is putting us in a frame and hanging us up where everyone can see. His artwork is so much better than our own, so why does he bother with our abilities?
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Comments (5)
Because He's like our parents, except infinitely more! He looks at your artwork-your witnessing-and sees it as beautiful. He says, "Look what my daughter painted for me today! Isn't it incredible?" I don't think He wants you to be so worried about mistakes. When you've done your best for Him, He's delighted beyond words.
When we were little, we didn't expect our parents to point out the flaws in our pictures. Why do we expect God to? He made us the way we are, and He enjoys it when we use what He's given us.
He wants to put His arm around you and tell you how much He loves your artwork. He doesn't want you to stand there and say, "But Daddy, I colored outside the line here. I messed up over here. I'm not good at this." He wants you to do your best and then listen while He affirms your efforts and tells you how proud He is of you.
If God had an office, your artwork would be framed on the wall, and He would show it to everyone who came in.
Because God loves his creations. For someone that's full of love, he/she would want to share and caress it, even with conditional loving. You can't really act less than how you feel for one another. Nevertheless, I'm not a pessimist. I can't cover that range.
Who else is there? If you believe that the Creator is finished creating things, then we're it - unless He wants to intervene on a massive scale.
hehe... i've wondered that too, quite often... but i guess, first of all, God's got a weird (but funny in the long run) sense of humor and secondly, as Paul put it quoting God "My power is made perfect in your weakness." if we were strong and perfect and ideal, there would not be too much for God to do, would it?
i mean, yeah, there will still be lots of work to do maintaining the universe and animals and everything, but would we notice it? we would be perfect and therefore we won't have the opportunity to SEE His works through us.
You are the artwork of God's hands. In allowing us to be who we are, act as we do, we are showing some of the different expressions of who God is. Obviously this isn't going to be true all the time, hence the need for repentance, but He embraces us even with our obvious flaws and has the ability to turn everything (even those things that require repentance) to the good of those that love Him.
The way that you revelled in your artwork as a child is the way that God revells over you, ever second of everyday. Of course he wants to frame you and show you off. There will be people that will drawn to the artwork that is you, in the same way that you remember the details of the artwork of the children that you see. Many people would walk by that artwork unnoticed, but you see the details and still marvel over them.