Seeing the David in the Stone

For those of you who have just dropped by, I’m digging for treasure in God’s Word this month. Matthew 6:33 promises, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” I think that “all these things” includes the treasures I’m seeking in the diaper pail –the jewels of joy, nuggets of wisdom and pearls of peace–but before I seek the gems, I must seek the Giver of good gifts (James 1:17). I’d be honored if you’d join me!

Seeing the “bigger picture” requires supernatural vision and confident expectation. In Beauty by the Book, Nancy Stafford tells this story:

“A huge block of marble eighteen feet high was given to a sculptor. But the marble was flawed, and as Agostino de Duccio began to carve, he realized he could do nothing with the block of stone. So it sat gathering dust for forty years. Then twenty-six-year old Michelangelo saw something in the marble.


A little boy watched Michelangelo carefully sculpt the stone. After many days, many weeks, many months, the famous form of David began to appear. Finally, the little boy tugged on Michelangelo’s cloak and asked, “Sir how did you know he was in there?”


Michelangelo replied, “I just took away everything that wasn’t David.”

And so it is with our children. While we may see a flawed slab of flesh and blood, the Creator looks at our children with a twinkle in His eye and sees the magnum opus they will one day be. All He needs to do is strip away the pieces that don’t belong to reveal the masterpiece inside. God is a master at transforming stone; even hearts of stone as our Bible reading today reminds us (Ezekiel 26:26). Oh, for eyes to see the “Davids” just beneath the stone. Let’s continue to ask the Potter to open the eyes of our hearts… (Ephesians 1:18) so that we can see our children as masterpieces-in-the-make.

Parent’s Pondering: How would I treat my children differently if I knew WHO they would be when Christ’s perfect work was completed in them? Ask God to help you see your children through His eyes today. Memorize Philippians 1:6 and speak it aloud when you are tempted to label your children according to their flaws rather than their potential.