A Work of Art

I have a very valuable piece of artwork hanging in my office at home. It was drawn especially for me on February 9, 1997. It’s rather abstract... just random lines and curves in blue and brown on a lavender paper. It was a gift from my granddaughter Rachel, drawn with crayons on construction paper during Sunday School.

It is very valuable... to me. But it’s value doesn’t lie in it’s artistic worth. From an objective viewpoint, it’s just the scribblings of a two year old child. It’s value is in the love and intent in which it was given. When she ran up to me that Sunday morning she was excited! She said, “Paw-Paw, I made dis for you!” When I saw her drawing I didn’t receive it on the basis of it’s artistic excellence, I received it as a beautiful expression of love.

I believe that’s how God must receive our efforts to please Him. When we bring our gifts, whether it’s our tithe or our service, if we give them in genuine love with an intention to please Him, I believe He receives it in that same spirit and attitude of a parent or grandparent receiving the hand-crafted gift of a child.

If we do our best, even if it’s not very good, I believe God is pleased. Christians are often reluctant to attempt some new venture in the life of the church because they fear they would not be good enough.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” Zig Ziglar says, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly, at least at first.” The more you do, the better you will do. Practice makes perfect. You have to begin somewhere and the place to begin is always where you are.

We often live far short of our potential because we fear risking failure. We play it safe and neglect to attempt great things for God. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might...”

Begin to do that thing you’ve always wanted to do. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Just start where you are and grow from there. Offer it as a gift to your Heavenly Father in pure love and he will receive it and value it.

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:13-14