THE ARTIST
An artist decided he needed to travel and find the most beautiful thing in the world to paint.
He starts his journey and comes upon a bride going to her wedding. He realizes that love is the most beautiful thing in the world. He sets up his paints and canvas and thinks, “How do I paint love? What does it look like? How
do I capture its beauty?”
Discouraged, he decides to look further.
He is in a town where there is a parade down the main street. A local soldier has returned from war. He exclaims, “Of course, the most beautiful thing in the world is peace!”
Yet, he has no more luck painting peace than he did when he tried to paint love.
Continuing on, the artist observes a priest in full vestments entering the holy cathedral. He thinks about his own faith and how it sustains and
nourishes him. He is certain he should paint a picture of God. Surely there is nothing that surpasses God’s beauty.
Once again, he sits before a blank canvas with no idea of how to capture the beauty that is the Lord.
He gives up his quest after months without painting. It’s time to return home to his family.
The moment he crosses the border to his hometown, he feels a sense of relief. As he approaches his house, he is giddy with excitement. The artist crosses the threshold
of his home, and he is filled with peace. His wife and children hear his footsteps, and they rush to greet him. He is filled with love. One by one, they embrace him, and he gives thanks to God.
It is just then he sees the picture in his head of the most beautiful thing in the world that he is meant to paint.
It is a portrait of his family, rejoicing in love, peace, and joy; all gifts that come from God.
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