Art Lessons
27 Apr
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”— Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV)
He was drawing a picture of a sunlit forest. He drew a brown trunk. Then a green lollypop top. When he drew a black circle in the middle of the trunk with the word “hoot” inside, I had to turn away to hide my smile.
The art teacher stood behind my six-year-old son with eyebrows raised, amusement thinly veiled.
He likes to draw, she said to me, with a smile.
What happened next was pure beauty. She knelt down beside him and gently redirected his attention to what he had drawn. She showed him how the trees deeper in the forest looked higher up on the page, how to add horizon to ground them with the others. She showed him how the leafy foliage overlapped to create a beautiful umbrella and how to use light and shadow to create individual leaves.
Do you see this trunk? There is brown in it, but look closer. What other colors do you see? There’s not only brown, is there?
She moved around the table, making similar points for other students. Each time she directed attention to the image being copied. Look, she said, or See.
She was not teaching how to draw. She was teaching how to see.
As I watched my son’s teacher, I felt my own vision change. When I looked at the paper the way she instructed, my eyes were opened. I noticed details I had never seen before…beauty took on new meaning.
As I pondered this transformation, my thoughts turned to The Great Teacher. Like my son’s instructor, Jesus taught His listeners to see in a new way. His ministry crossed all social barriers and shattered cultural norms. He challenged the practices of the religious leaders of his time. What’s more, by teaching in parables rather than the language of the law, He challenged people to see the world differently. He engaged their imagination, their creative mind, that part of them separate from logic and pretense.
Jesus taught to look deeper to see what others could not see.
This is where He takes us even today, the place where the unseen becomes seen. He understands our need to hear and see with our hearts.
I don’t know about you, but I want to see like Jesus sees. I want my eyes to be good—my whole body to be filled with light. I’m signing up for that class. I’m under the tutelage of the Great Teacher. How about you?
My Lord, my heart is full. I hear your stories and they make me want to change my vision. Open my eyes that I might see as you see. Help me to love as you love. Fill me with your light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Amen to your prayer, Laura. Yes, I too want to see like Jesus sees others. I too often make up my own mind about people. I should be more cautious about what I see verses what Jesus sees.
What a neat art teacher your son has.
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us.
Just this morning I prayed, “Give me eyes to see.” Yes, Laura, I’m signing up for that class too. I want to see as He sees so that my heart will grow and change.
This is such a beautiful way to begin my morning. Thank you so much.
P.S. I like the picture too!
Thank you ladies. It really was an eye-opening experience! I’m so thankful that He cares enough to change my perspective. It amazes me how quickly I can forget, though. But the Great Teacher always gently reminds!
I’ve enjoyed sharing my first post here at Laced with Grace
Laura, as I read your posting, i was reminded of my grandson’s Grade One teacher who killed his love of drawing by telling him, “I don’t want any more pictures of farms and trains.” These were his two passions at the time. I was able to encourage his drawing when he visited me. But his Art teacher in Grade Seven completely turned him off from ever drawing again. He is now in Grade Ten and since Grade Seven he has NEVER done any drawings. How utterly cruel were both of these teachers. It really hurts me because I too am a teacher and would NEVER treat a student in these terribly negative ways.
Amen to that prayer. Beautiful devotion Laura.
Amen, amen sweet sis.
Oh, Rachel. I’m so sorry about your grandson. It takes so little to discourage. I had a similar experience when I was in fourth grade. The best teachers that I have had all had their own ways of making a child feel special. Teaching is such a huge responsibility. We should take it as one. I’m glad that you take this privilege to heart. It sounds like you foster heart learning as well as book learning. Keep doing that special thing you do, Rachel. You are a hero for our kids.
Thank you, Bernadine and Denise! So nice to be here.
The more I pray this prayer the more He does show me! He is amazing!
Two of my favorite story-tellers, Jesus & Laura, in one post. Doesn’t get much better than this. Thanks, friend, for teaching me again and encouraging me to “see” life through a Jesus-set of lenses. His vision is on the rise in me, and my heart is stirred for more.
peace~elaine
Thank you, Elaine! How sweet you are to come and see me over here. I think you’ve had some lessons in seeing already, but we can paint this thing together, shall we? Love you, lady!