Masterpieces

 There was a man one day drawing on the sidewalk with chalk; he must have been there for some time for he had drawn a picture of the Mona Lisa. It was beautifully done, and after the artist had left and went home some young boys on bicycles intentionally ran over the artwork sliding their tires and really destroying the artist hard work. When I read that I was immediately upset in my mind. I said “why on earth would someone literally destroy something so beautiful for no reason.” All of a sudden my mind went by to a time when a man came to King David by the name of Nathan. Nathan told King David a story that upset him, the King got so upset that he said this.

2Samuel 12:5  And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: David was so angry that he was ready to send that man to his grave but then Nathan said to David that he was the man. It’s easy to read a story about a chalk drawing of the Mona Lisa being destroyed by young boys and get upset. I must ask myself this question; have I ever marred anyone’s clay?  The Bible tells us that we are God’s workmanship.

Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Every one of us are God’s masterpieces so that means if I use unkind language toward another one of God’s masterpieces then the possibility of me marring someone else’s clay is very possible.

Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. I got angry when I read the story but then God used something to show me a picture of myself. It was with a young man with Down syndrome. He spoke to everyone he came in contact with and he had a smile on his face. He was also hugging everyone; it didn’t matter if they were fat, skinny, black or white. It didn’t matter to him if they wanted his love or not. You might say oh yes but he was inflected with a disease that caused him to act and do those things. I don’t know maybe we are the ones with the disease. That young man didn’t say harsh words, hold grudges or dislike anyone and it didn’t matter to him if you liked him or not. You were going to be loved on. In this world that you and I live in people are constantly tearing down the worth of others. Wouldn’t it be great if we were to see others as God’s unique workmanship. Can you remember someone saying harsh words to you? I sure do, in 1968 my drill sergeant said to me “boy you’ll never amount to anything.” Those words cut to the bone and on that day I said to myself you just wait and see. As I look back now; those words did cut to the bone and hurt, he was upset with me and rightly so. He said something he may or may not have meant in his anger. I have done the same thing in my anger and impatience at a critical moment have marred God’s workmanship. So God sent a Nathan to me in the form of a Down syndrome child to show me my wrong. I must be slow to speak and quick to think of what I might do to others that could last a life time.

James 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

James 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.