"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made:  marvellous are thy works;
and that my soul knoweth right well."
- Psalm 139:14

When I was in high school I took an art class during my freshman year.

I don't remember if it was mandatory, or if I got talked into it, but somehow I found myself with brushes and paints in hand for an hour a day.

One of the projects that we worked on was a "pointillism" piece.  "Pointillism" is a fancy way of saying "a bunch of dots." :o)  In creating a piece in this art style, you *literally* draw your object by creating small dots in the pattern of your subject.  You use various colored markers to accent the different colors in the project.  Where it should be darker you space the dots very closely together, and where the project should be lighter you space the dots farther apart.

Needless to say, this is a VERY time consuming art style to pursue.  Seems like we had an entire semester to complete ours.

Many people chose simple items like an apple or a desk.  Me?  Thinking I must be some kind of Van Gogh or Picasso, I chose one of the most difficult options of all, a landscape of a fall setting in the woods!

First thing I had to do was develop a plan.   I couldn't merely start pecking away with the markers, I had to know what colors to use and where to use them.  There had to be some boundaries set up, a basic outline that I need to follow.  So, I lighly sketched out the outline in erasable pencil.

With my plans finished, I next needed to begin shaping the picture into what I envisioned in my head.  I knew what I wanted the end result to look like, I just need to get the markers and the paper to do what I had planned.  And so I began to work.

It didn't happen overnight.  It was a time-consuming project.  I had to have patience.  I worked each day.  I fine-tuned and shaped that piece of paper.  I invested a lot of effort into making it the best that it could possibly be.  After it, it represented me.  And I don't create any junk.

There were days when people looked at it throughout the process and said, "Is it ever going to turn out right?"  "That doesn't look like it should look."  "Are you sure it is capable of being what you have planned?"

I never gave up on it.  I just kept saying, "It's a work in progress.  It isn't finished yet."

Finally, the day came when the projects were to be completed.  I had spent the last few days putting on the finishing touches.  It was ready to be presented.

I had created my masterpiece.

Then, something I hadn't expected happened.  I was hoping for a good grade, which I did receive.  But, in addition to that, my artwork was nominated for and accepted into an exclusive art exhibit at a nearby college.  It was on display there during the entire show, and I was beaming from ear to ear at what people saw.

My project shined while it was on display.

You know, art students aren't the only ones who create masterpieces.  God creates masterpieces as well.  In fact, YOU are one of His masterpieces.   Yes, YOU.  Each of His children are His handiwork.  The Bible says that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made."  It also says that He has very specific plans for our lives.

Our lives started out kind of like my canvas.  They were empty and God laid out a plan.  He sketched out His goals and dreams for what we are to become before we were ever even conceived.  He knew what He wanted us to look like before we were born.  He had a picture in His head.

And so He made plans for us.  And not just any 'ol plans, special plans.  One of a kind plans.  Not like anyone else.  Things only we can do.

Now, it doesn't happen overnight, this shaping us into the people He designed us to be.  It takes a time-consuming effort from the Father.  But, oooh does He have the patience with us.  He works each day.  He fine tunes us and shapes us.  He invests a lot of effort into making us the best we can possibly be.  After all, we represent HIM.  And He doesn't create any junk.

I am sure that there are days when satan and the skeptics of the world look at us as we are going through the process of being changed.  I am sure that there are days when they see us struggle with sin or be worried or have doubts and they say, "Is this person ever going to turn out right?"  "They don't look like they should look."  "Are you sure they are capable of being what you have planned?"

But God never gives up on us, does He?  He just keeps saying, "My child is a work in progress.  He isn't finished yet."

Christian, God is proud of His masterpieces.  He creates each one of us in a special and unique way.  He has plans for our lives and a dream of who He wants us to become.  And He's not finished with us.  He is always correcting and encouraging and changing us to become more like His Son Jesus.

You know, I could go back and create another pointillism project.  But there would never be another one just like that first one.  I could create hundreds of them, but each one would be different.  No two would be exactly the same.

God works very much the same way.  You aren't the same as anyone else.  He made you unique.   He made you to accomplish those plans He has especially for your life. 

You are His masterpiece.

Shine while you are on display.

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
 - Philippians 1:6

Have a "Wonderful DAY in Christ,"
Jimmy D. Brown
\o/ Praise Jesus!