Wall Paint as a Means of Grace

I painted my Church office.  God speaks to me when I work with my hands and this was also a Lenten offering of sorts . People in general but pastors in particular need results that can be seen and touched. So much of what we do in the "Idea Age" isn't see-able and often unsatisfying. These are my lessons for life from painting a couple of walls.




Don't be a miser. Buy better paint, own one really good brush and spend the extra on the blue masking tape. In painting, a couple of bucks spent on good materials can make a huge impact on the finished work. In life a few quality minutes that you "don't have" spent with God or on someone else can change the world, perhaps even your own.


Many mistakes from the previous painting popped out with the new color. I didn't notice the runs, over-paint and smears before I got up close. My first worry was that someone might think I did it. In painting they can be easily fixed with some steel wool. In life the mistakes and defects of others don't pop out until you get too close also. They didn't matter before. Why criticize-especially in smug silence-now? Maybe I am confronted with my own faults. Back off. The people that matter don't notice. I should be a person that matters



The preparation of this project was exciting. The first steps were tedious. The middle was a mess and made we wonder why I got into this. In painting as in life, the middle of the project is the most dangerous time. Don't stop and you don't yield to the temptation of taking short cuts or settling for lower quality. The middle is the time for action. Pray with the paintbrush. Follow through.











Painting puts your mark on something that can be touched and seen. In painting, the old nail holes and stains disappear when the new paint is applied. The space looks fresh and 'mine'. It changes me. In life, the exterior reflects the interior. I feel fresher. I want my desk clean and the books back on the shelf. Some years ago I put on Christ. At first it was just a coat of spiritual paint. As I grow He touches me more and more deeply..Allow Christ's unique and genuine mark and let others see it too.












Bottom line: Do things with touchable results and do it for yourself. Create. In painting as in life, in something as silly as painting the office, God is re-creating.


Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Cor. 5:17) A wonder-filled and Holy Lent to you..................