The Little Things: Getting it right the first time
By KELLY PRESTON, Special to The Paper
“Only 1 out of every 500 paintings do I ‘get right’ the first time.”
This is what a local artist told my daughter’s class on a field trip to a nearby museum (before the days of COVID). She was describing her favorite painting, and how it didn’t need to be tweaked at all. Rather, she felt it was complete upon its creation.
And then it hit me.
Can you imagine if God got only 1 out of every 500 of His creations right the first time?
No! Our Creator gets everything right the first time! We are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) and we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
We may not always “feel” like masterpieces or wonderfully made. We’ve been stained, tattered, beaten and bruised, sometimes as a result of our choices but often as a result of living in a sinful world. Yet prior to sin, destruction, disease, and tragedy entering the world, God said everything He created was “very good” (Genesis 1:31).
And the VERY GOOD NEWS is that while we are now works in progress and He who began a good work will complete it (Philippians 1:6), God got us right the first time! He doesn’t make mistakes. He wants to restore us so we can shine as the masterpieces He created us to be.
God speaks to me and to you, “You are my masterpiece and I got you right the first time! Don’t let the world color you or tarnish you. Be the masterpiece that I created you to be.”
I confess that I struggle with this every single day, but praise be to God—the only perfect artist—that He looks at all of His children and still says “very good.”
How can we abide in these truths?
Be patient with yourself and with God. As already stated, we are works in progress, and a masterpiece takes time to become all that it is supposed to be.
Replace lies with truth. Exchange the lies of the world with the truth of God’s Word.
Look in the mirror. Speak words of truth and affirmation to yourself every day.
Surround yourself with encouraging people. Toxic relationships tear you down; form relationships with people that build you up.
And in the words of author Bob Goff, “If you want to dazzle God, go be you.”
Kelly Preston is a nurse-turned-stay-at-home-mom to four amazing and energetic children. Though she sometimes forgets to buy toilet paper amidst their busy schedules, Kelly finds time to run RACE for the Orphans, a non-profit focused on supporting adoptive families. She loves Jesus, people, a really good book, and pondering the little things.
