Jesus replied, “You surely know that the Scriptures say `The stone that the builders tossed aside is now the most important stone of all. This is something the Lord has done, and it is amazing to us.’ Matthew 21:42
I visited Florence, Italy and like millions of visitors before me, stood awed in front of Michelangelo’s 17 foot high white marble statue of David. Michelangelo has captured an image of the young Hebrew hero just as he is about to set out to free his people from the oppression of the Philistines. He has portrayed David with a glint of determination in his eye, a slight furrow in his brow and a firm confident stance. His hands are larger than life and powerful. Michelangelo has made David look very human. He has detailed the prominent veins in David’s forearms, his bony ribs, his rough elbows and calloused feet.
Michelangelo sculpted David when he was just 29. He used a piece of marble that two other sculptors had tried to carve before and had rejected as flawed. They said the stone had too many veins and fractured too easily. Michelangelo was able to overcome these problems. In his hands, the stone other sculptors had tossed aside, became important and had something amazing created from it.
Matthew 21: 42 teaches us that God can take even those who have been rejected by others and use them to make a difference in the world. Others may see only flaws but God sees potential. Michelangelo created a sculpture of a young man about to become a hero. God can make heroes of each one of us.
God give me the faith to believe that you can help me do amazing things to help others and honor you even though I am sometimes feel flawed and rejected.
