Venturing Out While Losing Sight

In Junior High I had an assignment in Art Class to recreate the line drawing (at right) of Igor Stravinsky, as originally drawn by Pablo Picasso. Forget the fact that it was a "famous" drawing; I was more concerned with doing the assignment! Not only were we to try to recreate it, the drawing was hung upside down and that was how we were to recreate the drawing. "Why is it upside down?" were the questions, followed by many groans and complaints.

Nevertheless, we started to tackle what seemed to be impossible, with our 4' X 4' sheets of paper before us. I drew some, erased a lot. I drew more, turning my paper around every so often to see how it was looking. This assignment took a few days to finish, but in the end I had impressed myself. That brings us to this week's quote...

One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. ~ Andre Gide

At the beginning of the assignment I remember being very frustrated. Like anyone who is inexperienced in drawing, you want it to look "perfect" in the end. You try and try and try to make it look good. You are longing to stay close to the shore because that is where you feel safe. You don't want to venture out and just let yourself see what you might discover. Venturing out requires trust - in this case, in yourself and your abilities. The assignment was to teach us to draw what we see and not what we think we see. In other words, draw lines, not fingers, eyes, cuffs, etc.

Much the same is life. We like to stay in where we feel safe. We don't like to venture out. However, when you venture out you not only lose sight of the shore, you gain sight on something you haven't ever seen before.

So, what seems impossible for you? Making new friends? Losing weight? Learning a new hobby/skill? Sharing Jesus? Giving up a bad habit? Praying? Completing a degree? Forgiving? Reconciling a relationship?.....Go ahead, venture out. Don't look at what you think you see, obstacles, but look at what is actually present, opportunity. By the time the "assignment" is finished, you may impress yourself with the results!

Losing sight of the shore...