God Loves Our Art

I am a father. My four children range in age from 18 months to 6 years old (going on 7). Last night my six-year-old daughter grabbed some crayons and began to create a work of art on a rather expensive piece of paper. (Why are those huge Post-It Note things so expensive, anyway!?)

To point out my personal parenting flaws, I didn’t really pay a lot of attention to what she was up to. I was busy with something else. I can’t remember what it was, but I’m sure it was not overly important.

This morning I stumbled across her picture and my heart was blessed! Now, before any art critics or grammar police point out the many flaws and short-comings, I want you to know that I have declared this particular piece of art to be a “Masterpiece”. I have proudly hung it up on display for all to see. I am convinced that she created this masterpiece with as much skill as she currently has.  She poured her heart into it, and her diligence and creativity blessed my heart.

I am just a normal father with normal children. My children are very special to me, but probably not particularly special to the rest of the world. As I marveled at the masterpiece of my eldest daughter, a sporadic smile broke out across my face. It just kind of happened. I thought about how proud I am of her. Just then, a still small voice whispered to my heart, “I am proud of you, too, Jeff” It was the voice of my Father.  Not my earthly father, but my heavenly Father.

This is how I know that God loves our art.

My daughter’s artwork is not technically amazing. There are flaws. She still has quite a bit to learn about drawing, coloring, spelling, etc. (Actually, she still has a long way to go in the entire process of growing up.) But her heart is good. I look at her artwork, and I see her heart… and I love it.

My artwork is not technically amazing, either. There are flaws. I still have quite a bit to learn about writing, playing music better, singing better, etc. (Actually, I still have a long way to go in the entire process of sanctification.) But I believe that my heart is good. I believe that when God the Father looks at my artwork, He sees my heart… and He loves it.

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b, NIV).