Monday, April 22, 2013

The Paint Box

 
"For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life."
1 Thessalonians 4:7, NIV
 
I tore into the plain, brown paper, wrapping and squealed with delight as my eyes fell on a shiny tin box filled with fresh watercolor paints just begging to be placed into the hands of a young artist. Quickly, I found some paper and lost myself in my creation. It is sad that my budding artist career came years before the day of refrigerator magnets. However, my masterpieces always found a place of honor in our home.

As daughters of a professional artist, my sister and I loved nothing more than to spend the day at our father's studio, where there was always an abundant supply of paper, pencils, paints and paternal praiseeverything a young Rembrandt might need. It was only natural for me to follow in my father's footsteps.

I well remember one particular day in fourth-grade art class. Our assignment: to copy a picture of a bird on a flowered tree limb. I intently set about my work, only this time I was unable to measure up to the high standards I had evidently laid out for myself. As a result I resorted to plagiarism. I discreetly laid my paper over the pattern and traced the image with meticulous strokes. Later, as my teacher held up each work of art before the class, he politely asked me if I had traced mine. Of course I answered, "No," and in my naivety, I believed I had fooled him.

Today there are instances when I am still unwilling to put in the effort required to acheive the optimal result, not only in my life's artistic expression, but its spiritual expression as well. My impatience produces halfhearted efforts and a sprint to a premature finish. Developing artistic skill takes a lifetime of dedicated study and hard work. The same is true when it comes to maturing in Christ and living out his purpose. Our Heavenly Father's standards for living a pure and holy life are high, but he has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Our approach must be intentional. Fulfilling God's vision for our lives requires prayerful time in his presence, intensive study and obedience to his word, and an earnest resolve to follow the Holy Spirit's lead. There are no shortcuts, no patterns to tracesimply his footsteps to follow.

I still have my childhood paintbox. I find it intriguing that the wells once filled with fresh, vibrant, and varied colors now all contain the same dull shade of dirty brown. The result, I am sure, of a young child artist in such a hurry to paint her masterpiece that she didn't take the time to rinse out her brush.

More than a generation later, I must ask myself, "Am I still impatiently tracing an image other than my own, or am I willing to follow the unique pattern my Father has marked out for me?"

Monday, April 1, 2013

Unshutter the Clutter

 
"Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"John 2:16, NKJV
 
As a child, I shared a bedroom with my older sister. She would clean up her side of the room and then "graciously" give me the things she no longer wanted. Later, when her side was neat, she would turn and fuss at me because my half was cluttered. Today, we reminisce and laugh.
 
My oldest daughter will be the first to tell you I keep a clean housemuch to her chagrin while growing up. However, as I "mature" and my energy dwindles, I am frequently tempted to shutter the clutter. More times than I care to admit, I give our house a lick and a promise, and then I renege on my promise. From a visitor's vantage point, our house looks put together. Just don't open the drawers and closets, nor, heaven forbid, the attic. Doing so may resemble comedy shows of yesteryear, when opening a closet door is met with an avalanche of junk and canned laughter.
 
Today, TV reality programs, which showcase hoarders, serve as entertainment. However, hoarding is neither entertaining nor laughable. An excess of clutter in our homes may be the symptom of a deep psychological disorder. Hoarders not only cling to things of value, they cling to mounds of things which have no value at all. Most of us cannot wrap our minds around this type of thinking, and yet; the reality is, we often replicate it.
 
There are days I mentally shutter the clutter. I hang on to thoughts of no redeeming valuethoughts which in the long run will prove harmful. I shelve grievances from the past and hold on to an orderly list of offensesall signs of a serious spiritual malady.
 
In the temple, the Scriptures tell us,  even Jesus did a bit of spring cleaning. He rid the temple of its clutter with zeal as he overturned tables and tossed out the money changers. He had zero tolerance for things that would desecrate his holy place. Zero should also be our threshold of tolerance for all that desecrates our body: the temple of the Holy Spirit.
 
Spring is the season of renewal. As the last dead leaves of winter give way to fresh buds of new growth, we too are able to shed all that reeks of death. Fling open the shutters. Reveal what is hidden; expose it to the Light. Now, BREATHE. The moment we rid our temples of sinful clutter through confession, Jesus removes it as far as the east is from the west, never to bring it up again.