Thursday, May 28, 2009
From His Perspective
By Ramone - May 11, 2009
As I write this it's actually November. Back in May when I got this picture and painted it, I was brainstorming ideas for how to teach an art class at church (it began in June). I was thinking of a sort of loose curriculum based around a few drawing styles, and then drawing spiritual lessons out of the styles. I realized I didn't have a good example of cubist style. So I thought about it and felt God say to make this picture.
(Ironically, He later told me to toss the curriculum idea and just wait on Him each class, having the students look to Him for what to draw, and then look to Him for understanding!)
So today, after displaying this picture (and 14 others) at the 2009 Jesus Family Culture Festival, I am just looking at the picture and wondering, "What was that about, God?"
The title, "From God's Perspective"... and the story... yes, from Your perspective, we are all Your children.
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.Why is this picture "cubist", I wonder? Is it because we see ourselves in so many different ways, in really disjointed ways? Our perspective is not really "realistic", actually! We imagine we are things that we really are not, or we imagine that we're worse than we really look. Our images of ourselves are really cubist!
- Mark 10:13-16
But then this picture just simply has joy in it. Your joy, Jesus! Thank You for that! And the cubist kids, well, they're not really disjointed (I didn't go full Picasso, haha).
But now another idea occurs to me, and I think this is what You were and are saying. Yes. Thank You, Lord!
The theory behind cubism is a sort of three-dimensional picture on a flat surface, done by drawing one part from one angle, and another part from another angle, and then connecting them in some fashion. The result is usually funny or amusing, sometimes grotesque, odd, bizarre, or puzzling.
But here in this picture, the children are children. The cubism just shows their simplicity. Somehow it captures their expressive joy and simple love. I found I could show their joy here more fully than if I had drawn in a realistic way. I could have His arms embracing them in a way that would be difficult with "realism". The result is sweet, cute, joyful, tender and full of life.
I realize that yes, just like the title, this is how God sees us!
We actually think we have good sides, bad sides, presentable sides, unpresentable sides, etc. But here I believe God is telling us that no matter what angle He sees us from, we are sweet in His eyes. No matter what angle He looks at us from, He is overjoyed to embrace us, bless us, hold us, smile at us, and be full of joy over us, and give us His life.
It reminds me of what Jesus said in Luke 12:32 --
"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom."*****
See also: "Every Tribe" (at Weeping Jeremiahs)
# posted by Ramone @ 2:49 PM 
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