What I’m Reading Today: 2 Corinthians 3
While most of my creative energies tend to get expressed in the field of music, I love hearing about other artists’ expression of creativity as well. They give me valuable insights into ways of being in the world. This is particularly true for those artists who work in the field of sculpting.
Several years ago I heard one sculptor talk about the process of creating a sculpture. The artist said that he tried not to approach the material with a preconceived image in mind. Instead, he tried to work with the material and simply reveal an image that he believed lie buried within the existing material.
What a beautiful way to approach one’s craft!
In many ways, the sculptor’s statement captured what I believe to be the essence of effective ministry. My goal as a pastor isn’t to take a person and mold them into a pre-existing image I have of what they “should” be. Rather, my goal is to be an instrument that helps reveal some of the astonishing inner beauty that sometimes gets buried beneath layers of pain, fear or frustration.
Every single one of us goes through this life-long process of being sculpted. Paul suggests as much in today’s writing when he noted: “And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like [God].”
Today, if you feel frustrated with some of your current rough spots–be gentle with yourself. Remember that most of us aren’t finished works of art; rather, each of us is a masterpiece in progress.
Til next time…
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