Originally published Wednesday, 03 April 2013.
I absolutely love this painting.
Everytime I look at it, I smile and think of it’s artist.
The paint is a little outside the lines (maybe more than a little) but personally, I think it looks better than if everything was painted in cookie-cutter format.
As cliché as it sounds, the imperfections of this painting, or what seem to be imperfections, are my absolute favorite part.
They are what give the painting its’ character.
Actually, when we were painting this, I helped my little artist, Ashton, paint a sun in the right hand corner.
So, I painted a nice little, circle-shaped sun with yellow rays and told Ash to just paint AROUND the sun or on the car so “the weather would stay warm” in his painting.
Naturally, he headed straight for the sun.
He dipped his tiny paintbrush in the bright yellow paint and got the biggest dallop known to man and plopped it on the sunshine.
He giggled, looked up at me (knowing I had just painted that) and said, “See, Cleere! Now it’s even brighter!”
Seriously, I could eat this child.
But truly, he made the picture even BETTER!
It was his thought process behind his colors and where he placed them.
It was his excitement, focus and joy as he painted.
It was his beaming face at the end when he could hardly stand it he was so excited!
I don’t think it’s a stretch of the imagination to say that this is exactly how God is with us.
Could he paint a more accurate, more legible, more understandable and graceful picture?
Duh.
But he lets us use the paintbrush and give it a whirl instead.
He delights in our use of colors and our bright, eager imaginations.
He is thrilled at our joy as we paint what we know as a masterpiece on the canvas.
He constructed the lines, knowing that we might veer off course a bit, but that is okay.
Because in our imperfections lies our beauty.
God doesn’t so much care about the tangible painting afterwards, as he does the name on the bottom of the masterpiece.
He is a proud father who hangs each and every painting on his refrigerator, where He admires the work of His children.
I think, if He were sitting beside us (which He is) while painting, He would say “Go on! It looks PERFECT.
Keep painting.
Do not be afraid to travel outside of the lines.
I will wash your brush when it needs to be cleaned and provide new colors when necessary.
But for now- PAINT! My refrigerator is waiting for you.”
So, go on, Picasso! Give it a whirl.
“For the Lord, your God, is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” -Zephaniah 3:17
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” -Proverbs 16:3
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