Making a Christmas Masterpiece

By Maria Fontaine

November 15, 2014

When the life of a follower of Jesus is lived as Jesus intended it to be, it becomes a thing of beauty. Being a Christian and having a relationship with God should be something that permeates our daily experiences, is integrated into our decisions, and brings color to our perceptions of ourselves, others, and this life.

“Christmas … is love in action. When you love someone you give to them as God gives to us. The greatest gift He ever gave was the person of His Son, sent to us in human form, so that we might know what God the Father is really like. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.”—Dale Evans Rogers

Like a beautiful painting, a Christian’s greatest glory is often made up of countless little things. The tiny globs of color in the painting that appear to be so insignificant when viewed up close become breathtakingly beautiful when seen in their totality. In the same way, the countless expressions of God’s love shared with others in the course of a Christian’s life may at times appear to be insignificant in themselves, yet God sees them in the context of the totality of a life that glorifies Him, and He revels in their beauty.

As our lives become more centered around God, He adds more sparkle to our eyes, more bounce to our step, gives more strength in our weakness and more grace in times of struggle, loss, or suffering.

As our dependence on Him grows, He enhances the joy of His Spirit that overcomes our sorrow, and He sharpens the extra spiritual sight that helps us see past the flaws to recognize and appreciate the beauty of God’s Spirit within ourselves and those around us. The more we are determined to strengthen our walk with Jesus, and the more we desire a deeper spiritual connection with Him, the more He will be able to manifest His Spirit through us. Paul commended some early Christians, saying:

“For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.”—2 Corinthians 8:3–5 NLT

When your faith plays an integral part in your values, goals, and decisions, the love that prompted God to create the universe can stir your heart to see the need around you. It will move you to action. If God demonstrates His love for us in the beauty of a tiny flower, as well as in the immeasurable greatness of His coming to live and die for us, that teaches us that there is also great variety in the ways that our lives can show His Spirit and truth to this world.

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.”—1 John 3:16,18–19 NLT

God wants to fill our lives with His Spirit as much as we will allow Him. We are His handiwork. As we allow Him to blend the hues of His love and mercy and develop the beauty of form that He intended for us, we become His masterpiece that will speak to the hearts of many. Let’s eagerly embrace the priceless gift of His presence in our lives that was made available to us on that first Christmas. And as we cultivate the captivating beauty of God’s love in all we do and say, others will be drawn to Him through us.