Louie Giglio’s dad was a gifted commercial artist. On one occasion, his father came home with a gigantic piece he called the “Abstract Magician.” More than nine feet tall and almost four feet wide, it was a looming, gruesome figure with a bow tie, cape, and colored scarf.
Louie’s mom hated it, and she wasn’t thrilled when he hung it at the top of the staircase for all to see. Graciously, Louie’s dad modified the “Abstract Magician” by lopping off a huge chunk from the bottom of the picture. He put this smaller and nicer rendition back on the wall.
A few years later, Louie’s father was struck with a near-fatal brain virus, leaving him physically and mentally disabled. It kept him from doing any more artwork.
Many years later, Louie found the part of the painting that had been lopped off. He hung this discarded piece in his office.
Louie says he has people come into his office all the time who declare, “That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen!” His quick response is, “That’s because you can’t see the whole thing. When I look at it, I never see this small painting. I see the whole guy, all nine feet of him. And I think about my father, the artist.”
Louie’s point is that life is a series of snapshots, a series of paintings that have been re-framed. Humans can’t see the whole thing. But God always sees the entire canvas. It may not be until heaven that we finally say, “Now…now it makes sense!”
Have you become so engrossed with a little corner of the canvas you’ve lost sight of the big picture?
God wants to use you. And He has a plan—a big, beautiful piece of art bearing your likeness. Take heart, dear friend! He always sees the big picture.
Encouragement for Today: God has not given us the whole picture of our lives because He wants us to trust Him. Whatever you are facing today, know that the God who loves you sees the whole picture. In fact, He created the picture!
We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
By Vonette Bright
©2023 Copyright Bright Media Foundation