Maureen Maniquis

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Living art

The mind is an astounding piece of art. It’s living art. It’s always in a state of flux being influenced by it’s experiences both past and present. It is capable of bringing complex ideas into physically engineered realities of great usefulness. It has unraveled mathematical mysteries that revealed truths about our universe. It has plunged the depths in search of meaning and purpose of life in this mystifying world.

The beauty and greatness of humanity is clearly evident —we are the crowning glory of creation. It’s easy to look around at all the accomplishments of mankind and feel noble, entitled, preeminent.

The Scripture says, ““For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:29) This means that our deeply complex, ever fluid minds, are fashioned after the mind of Jesus. He is our prototype.

Looking through the historical account of the life of Jesus — entitled is not the image that burst forth. Although he was preeminent, he lived in the ordinary, the average, the every day. He walked along the dusty roads seeking out the messy ones; the ones who knew their need. The preeminent ones of society saw him as insignificant, then a fool and finally a threat. But what did this first-born crowning glory of creation do?

He lived out the simplicity of his purpose and the shame of the cross changed the world. Societal giants were clueless but one by one messy ones were becoming well-ordered. The forgiveness and grace of God unclutters the mind—freeing it up to make sense of life in a world where mysteries are still unfolding.

The key to stability and endurance is to live in the every day ordinariness of life, letting that forgiveness and grace spill over into the lives of others. And as an ordinary caterpillar becomes an ordinary butterfly, one by one, the artful mind of Jesus brings about a new life.

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2-3 NLT