If I had a chisel

I love good art. (I'll define 'good art' for you someday.) If you scroll down to the bottom of this blog, you'll see one of my paintings that pays homage to Michaelangelo. It's called Redemption and depicts Christ, arms outstretched, upon a background that purposely mimics that of Michaelangelo's Creation scene from the Sistine Chapel.

Everyone knows Michaelangelo was one of the greatest artists who ever lived (or they should know it). What you may not know is that when he was 24 he completed my favorite of his sculptures, the Pieta. Five years later he finished David. I have a book of his complete works that my wife bought me a few years ago. If I had a chisel and could chisel in the morning, all day, and all over this land, there is no way I could even begin to approach his output. After all, the man lived to be 88, never married, and worked all the time.

I had a conversation about that very thing with a coworker of mine a few years ago. He is the father of four children and his response was right on target. "I've got four masterpieces I'm working on at home."

Yes! Sometimes I think we lose sight of the most important things in life. If I could paint a picture to rival the Sistine Chapel, it would still pale in glory to the masterpiece that each one of us is to God. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Here the word translated "workmanship", is the Greek word poiema, which means something which has been made, a handiwork, or something that has been written or composed--like a song or poem. (This is where our word 'poem' originates.) The word actually would better be translated "masterpiece".

And here's the incredible, unbelievable thing: God wants us to help in creating his masterpieces. I mean, the very fact that he uses my DNA in creating another human being, a human being that I get to shape and influence, is so overwhelming to me when I really sit and think about it. Why God? Don't you know how badly I could mess this up?

Yes, He does. And yet He still gives us that priviledge and responsibility. I've got a chisel. So do you. Whether you have children or not. Whether you are married or single. We shape one another all the time, by our actions and words. Pro 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Let's go create a masterpiece with God.