Jake’s Drawings (5/1/01)

(Note from 2025: The view of salvation I had in 2001 has evolved significantly over time [see Faith Reconsidered].  I believe God is much more “generous” with his love and salvation than most of us give him credit for. But, for historical sake, here is what I wrote in 2001.) 

Our youngest son Jake loves to draw us pictures.  His people are beginning to be recognized as people.  He still has to give us considerable explanation of what else is in the picture, and the action involved.

 

Jake thinks his pictures are great!  Of course we encourage him and tell him they are good, leaving unsaid the qualifier “for a six-year old”.  Jake is adopted.  If we were to have chosen a son based on artistic ability defined as being able to produce great masterpieces, Jake would have fallen short.  Yet, he would have kept on drawing, and would even have entered the competition with high hopes!  He really has a false impression of what is “good art”.

 

Yet we enjoy and appreciate his drawings, not because of their artistic merit, but because they are given in the spirit of love.  Jake is secure in our family, and has no fear of being cast out.  His drawings are not to gain our favor or maintain his family status.  They are expressions of his appreciation for us.

 

Many people think they are in a competition to receive sonship from God.  They are happily living what they consider a “good” life, unaware that it falls far short of God’s standard for “good”.  Even their best efforts appear as distortions before our Holy God.  Yet, they feel confident that God will choose them.

 

The analogy does break down a bit here.  God does want to adopt everyone, but He cannot tolerate “bad art” in his presence!  So He painted a beautiful picture of redemption and adoption for us via His Son, Jesus Christ.  But until we realize that our “art” is faulty, and actually very offensive to God, we won’t understand that we need to substitute the work of Jesus as the only acceptable payment for our sin.  So, if we continue happily on our way of doing our best, we will someday be jolted into the reality that it was not good enough.  But then it may be too late!

 

We need to look at our “work of life” through God’s eyes, as described in the Bible.  Even our very best actions are as dirty rags, fit only to be burned.  Even one lie, one lustful thought, one selfish motive, has disqualified us from the “art show”.  We need to realize that we are sinners and offensive to God, to forsake our “good” life as a means of gaining God’s favor, and accept Jesus as the only perfect work that will be acceptable to God.

 

After that, we can continue on doing our “art work” to the best of our ability, but with different motives.  No longer will we work out of fear or in an attempt to gain God’s favor.  We will work in an attitude of gratitude for our Savior Jesus Christ, who paid a great price on the cross to save us from the judgment to come.

 

Dave Drozek with

 

Thoughts from Honduras