There is a principle in art that if you want to make something look light, you put it against a dark background, and similarly, if you want something to look dark, you put it against a light background. So many times I’ll mix up what I think is a dark color on my white palette , only to place it on a dark panel, and then the color looks surprising light! I think this concept applies spiritually too. As we come to know a greater light, the darker our sins appear to be. What once was not that big of a deal, perhaps something we didn’t even think of as a sin, is suddenly obviously wrong and needs changing. When this moment of realization occurs, we can find ourselves very much like the young man in the picture, not quite as clean as we would like to be. At first we may be struck with a fleeting despair, as it can be discouraging to discover our weakness, but then we can have great hope in the atonement of Jesus Christ. How grateful I am that He has already taken upon Himself my debt, and only waits for me to turn to Him to find forgiveness. As we celebrate Easter this weekend, may we reflect on the greater light of Jesus Christ and rejoice that through Him we can become clean again!
12″ x 16″ oil on panel