The sculptor began with a shapeless block of granite. There seemed little use or beauty in the chunk of rock. What he saw in it was a mystery to those around who questioned the amount of time and work it would require to make anything useful out of it, let alone something that could be called art. As the days passed and the dust and chips of stone piled up there seemed little progress and most of those who passed by continued to consider it a fool’s mission. The sculptor at times would work with a frenzy of activity and at other times he would seem to stand still for hours before making the smallest of strikes against the stone with his smallest hammer. Few were impressed with progress he made and some even consider that the man was mentally unstable.
However, as time passed, progress slowly began to emerge from the block of granite. People would stop and take note of a hand emerging from the stone or features of a face were becoming recognizable. And in many of those places where they thought the old man was slow or crazy, now were seen to be the delicate details which gave the statue a realness, as if it truly would come to life. On the day that the sculptor finally finished his work the crowd had now gathered and all declared this was truly a masterpiece of art.
We are that block of granite and Jesus is the sculptor. What he is creating in us is his own image and it is a slow and tedious work. We call this spiritual formation, Jesus forming out of our humanness the likeness of the creator in us. At times it may seem we are growing and changing over night, but most of the time the work is slow and may take years to truly see the effect. Those around us may doubt that Jesus is really doing anything of worth; we may even despair of progress. But if we are faithful and patient we can catch glimpses of the changes that Jesus brings about. Then one day as we stand before him in glory the masterpiece that he has sculpted will be on display for all to see.
“Dear friends, now we are the children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2,3
Don
However, as time passed, progress slowly began to emerge from the block of granite. People would stop and take note of a hand emerging from the stone or features of a face were becoming recognizable. And in many of those places where they thought the old man was slow or crazy, now were seen to be the delicate details which gave the statue a realness, as if it truly would come to life. On the day that the sculptor finally finished his work the crowd had now gathered and all declared this was truly a masterpiece of art.
We are that block of granite and Jesus is the sculptor. What he is creating in us is his own image and it is a slow and tedious work. We call this spiritual formation, Jesus forming out of our humanness the likeness of the creator in us. At times it may seem we are growing and changing over night, but most of the time the work is slow and may take years to truly see the effect. Those around us may doubt that Jesus is really doing anything of worth; we may even despair of progress. But if we are faithful and patient we can catch glimpses of the changes that Jesus brings about. Then one day as we stand before him in glory the masterpiece that he has sculpted will be on display for all to see.
“Dear friends, now we are the children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2,3
Don
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