IMTS Global

MEMORIAL - On a Personal Note: Exposing Beauty Within

To anyone else, it would simply appear to be a piece of wood; a dull, drab, coarse object, void of attraction, unappealing to the eye, and certainly not worth a second glance. But to the eye of the master craftsman, this inanimate object brims with all of the potential of a work of art, a masterpiece. The eyes of the master craftsman see well beyond the shell of obscurity, which shroud the beauty within this piece of wood. His eyes see its shape, its contours and textures, and with a vision beyond that, which you or I can understand, easily afford this inanimate object the mystical opportunity to take shape, form and spring into existence.

The scene was a familiar one. All of our earlier conversations and excited chatter ceased while all eyes were fixed upon one spot. Over sixty grueling laps had been completed, and the finish line was in sight. The respirations of each spectator became shallow, while heartbeats thumped in anxious anticipation. Adrenaline, at an all time high surged with no outlet. We were but spectators, and would have no active role in the finish of this contest except to cheer on these brave warriors and to witness their feats of courage.

Eph 2:10
10	For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (NAS)

His "workmanship", literally, His "poiema" which means masterpiece in the Greek. You and I are the Master's "masterpiece". And yet, He is ever mindful of the fact that we are but literally "...dust".

Ps 103:14
14	For He himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. (NAS)

The Master Craftsman has a unique ability to see beyond the surface, beyond "our shroud", and into that beauty within, a beauty which is ultimately His.

The Master Craftsman shared this principle with the prophet Samuel when he was directed to "chose the next one to be anointed". Samuel was allowed the privilege of momentarily seeing through the Masters eyes, understanding His perception, and appreciating "the beauty within" in an entirely new way.

1 Sam 16:7
7	But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (NAS)

Yes, the first and critical step in "exposing the beauty within", is being able to "see with the Masters eyes". Like the master wood craftsman, and ultimately our Master Craftsman, we must learn how to see beyond the obvious, beyond the coarseness of exterior frames, and drab facades. The next crucial element in "exposing this beauty within" is developing the skill, patience and ability to reveal the treasure within. We are encouraged to, "provoke one another to good works", and that we are to literally, "sharpen one another";

Prov 27:17
17	Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (NAS)

We are gifted with the opportunity to share in the creation of His "masterpieces", as we, like the master wood craftsman, behold the outer shroud being carved away. With laser-like preciseness, the Word of God (sharper than any two-edged sword) skillfully applied, brings forth life and beauty beyond our imagination. Like the wood craftsman we discover the beauty of the wood itself. We reveal the texture of the wood, its grain, its scent, its imperfections and unique characteristics.

Ultimately we discover, like the master wood craftsman, that the beauty within his piece of wood was always there. By design, the Master Craftsman had created the wood and bestowed it with a beauty within, a beauty awaiting its release by the faithful and skillful hand and chisel of the craftsman.

We, God's elect, also possess a beauty within. A beauty which is a reflection of the beauty within our Master. We are, but a reflection of Him, a mere shadow of His likeness, and yet as we draw nigh to Him, and He to us, we take on His preciousness, His beauty, His radiance. We are being "transformed", and the beauty within revealed;

2 Cor 3:18
18	But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (NAS)

Dull, obscure piece of wood, or are we a masterpiece, His poiema? May your beauty shine, and may we, with the eyes of our Master, "see the beauty" within each other.

Coram Deo,

Jeff Ellis
Elder of Administration and Education