Restore

I love art. I love realism as well as some abstract. I also love to hear stories of someone finding an old painting in a garage sale or in their attic and after a little clean up, the beauty is obvious to all.

Art restoration is an art in itself. The technician works very slowly, sometimes with a qtip or a damp cloth and gently removes the years of dust and sometimes residue from smokers. Canvas tears are mended, and even small areas are sometimes repainted. They take every detail into consideration, even the pigments used in the era the artist created the work.

The end result is a far cry from what the world thought was trash...the work reveals what the artist intended with their masterpiece.

We are God's masterpiece. And some find they have been locked away in the cellar of life and discover damage, soot and painful rips in their heart's canvas.

Galatians 6:1a says:  "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness."

Did you know that it is up to us to gently restore a fellow believer back to their intended purpose? That doesn't mean judging or labeling them. It also doesn't mean making them over into someone completely different either. The world says they are done and useless. But we have an idea of what the Artist intended with a person. We see the possibility under the struggle.

You take into consideration the person's life history, their "voice" and their dreams. It means taking the time to wash away with gentle words the clouds of shame, and revealing the true beauty of their faith hidden under years of neglect. The application of scripture cleanses and renews their spirit. Challenge them to study it with you. Encourage dark days with music and uplifting conversation.

Help them to reframe their life with positive steps of restoration. And when the work is done, they find the beauty of the masterpiece that they have always been. They just needed a little restoration.

For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 (Voice)