Painting by Numbers

My sister is gifted with what is called, natural talent, in the painting/drawing arena. Growing up, she could sneeze and a beautiful horse would magically appear on a piece of paper! Like most young girls, my sister and I had a fascination with horses. We couldn’t own any, so she opted for drawing them. We had herds and herds of beautiful Paints, Palominos, Arabians, Mustangs and Quarter horses! On paper anyway.

I, on the other hand, am not “naturally” gifted. I had herds of stick figure ponies trotting alongside my sister’s majestic, graceful horses. One day, I discovered a paint-by-numbers kit of a beautiful black stallion rearing back with its hooves pawing the sky! I had visions of proudly displaying my horse next to my sister’s and giving her a fair run for her money in the art department.

Well, the really important thing about paint by number kits is that you HAVE to follow the color codes assigned to each number. There are some really good reasons why certain numbers have lighter browns and other numbers have greens, yellows and all hues in-between.

Have you ever studied good artwork? Shadow tends to play an important role in bringing the picture to life. Most of the horses my sister painted looked almost real…like they could leap off the page and gallop into the sunset. My sister had mastered the skill of depth perception and aspect ratio. She understood the need for shadows and perspective.

Needless to say, my horse looked more like a freak Picassos on a really bad day. I didn’t follow the directions and I chose to favor the colors I liked, not what the color-coding instructed. I threw the mangled horse in the trash and brooded the rest of the day. My sister came along and salvaged my horse from the trash. With her skillful abilities, she was able to paint over my mistakes and bring the true horse out in the picture.

Too often, we try to use our own color scheme in life. Instead of following God’s Word and living according to the plan He laid out for us, we believe we can do our own thing. Going our own way, we end up believing a lie and tragically end up in a place we never intended to go! Sin is like that. It takes us “farther than we want to go, costs more than we plan to pay and makes us stay longer than we intend to stay.”

Isa 55:8-11 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Pro 3:1-7 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Other verses on this subject: Proverbs 12:15; 14:12-16 and 16:25.
Phi 3:18-19 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.

God’s plan for each of us is perfect. His standards provide a net of safety to keep us from sin and its consequences. You and I need to be in God’s Word. We need to depend on it more than our own thoughts, understandings or pursuits. God’s Word is the perfect color code to guide us and conform us into a beautiful masterpiece reflecting Christ. When we goof up and sin, we mess up the picture. However, we can repent and confess our sin. God is faithful to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). He can restore the masterpiece He is making of our lives to the image He has planned: Jesus Christ. Even now, He is reaching into the garbage bin ready to clean up the mess we’ve made. Will you repent? Will you confess your sin?

Your way is destruction-death. God’s way is life-abundant life, everlasting.

dogledanji!