The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Proverbs 29:15
Michelangelo is one of the best-known of all the Renaissance artists. The extraordinary masterpieces he produced in his lifetime are still well-known today, hundreds of years later. One particular sculpture of an angel, commissioned by the pope himself, has drawn the attention of many. According to a story passed down through the centuries, as Michelangelo unveiled the especially lovely sculpture, the pope was amazed by what he saw. That prompted him to ask Michelangelo how he could create such a beautiful piece. Michelangelo told him, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free.”
When you were born, your life was nothing
more than a solid chunk of marble. God knows
the potential you have, but others, like your parents and your pastor, can see it, also. They know what lies inside
you and what you could do for God if the excess can be shed. Because you are
born a sinner and are inexperienced at life, you have so much that must be
chiseled and cut from your life. That is why God gave you parents and
counselors. They can see your potential, so they must cut and chisel away the
things in your life that will keep you from becoming the man God knows you can
be. At times, it will be an uncomfortable feeling. There will be times when the
chisel will get you upset. Other times, you will wish the cutting would just
stop. However, those things are all there for your good. They are present in
your life to help you make something of yourself. Your parents are not cutting
out bad friends, chiseling away impurities, and slicing away bad habits because
they hate you and want your life to be miserable. They are doing those things
because they are necessary to release the finished product that is hidden by
all of those imperfections.
In essence, your parents and leaders are
sculptors. They are not sculpting elaborate marble statues like Michelangelo
did – no, they are sculpting something much more important, much more valuable.
They are responsible before God to help sculpt your life into something that He
can use. The discipline that they must enact in your life may be uncomfortable,
but it is for your own good. When the work is finished, the angel within will
be released, and your life will be a wonderful testimony of what God can do
with a young person who has been sculpted for His purpose.
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