A Masterpiece or a Paint by Number?

We all must paint our own canvas....  a brother in the Lord wrote that to me the other night.  An intriguing thought.  Beautiful unless your friends or family members are making bad choices.  Then you mourn their painting.  But you shouldn't.

Have you ever done a paint by number?  If you are a real painter, sorry.  I thought more people could identify with a paint by number illustration.  Please bare with me.

As I was saying... Have you ever done a paint by number painting?   At first it doesn't really look like a beautiful picture.  It's sort of ugly.  If you stopped there and showed it to people they would think.. Why that's undone why are you showing me it now?

That's what our friends' and families' pictures are.  Unfinished.  If we have faith and are praying for them, believing our good God is hearing us.  Then we need to relax.  Yes, they are making bad choices and yes that's not good.  But our mighty God isn't finished with their "picture" yet.  When it's done it will not be a paint by number picture, though that is nice.  But it will be a beautiful, breath taking painting.  Done by the artist that created the stars and painted the night sky, the ocean so blue and horizon with  a red fiery sun setting.  Yes, that artist is painting their painting and it will be beautiful.

When we try to control their lives by butting in, giving unasked for advise, fussing at them, berating them.  When we do those types of things.  We are trying to be the artist of their lives and it's so sad.  It's like a paint by number painter instead of a museum quality artist doing the picture.  He is a master painter, you know. The original Master artist. Why do we even think we can be in his league?

So relax.  Walk out your path well with an eye on theirs.  Pray much for them.  Believe much in your God and wait for the beauty you will behold in the end.  The Masterpiece He will make of each of their lives.

Phil. 2:12b and 13......work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Philippians 1:6

..being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.