Flawed (Text Version)

We all admire perfection, and are disillusioned when things dont measure up. Often quick to reject that which is flawed, we dont realize that, in working in spite of the flaws, some of the world's most perfect masterpieces have been created.

A massive, solid piece of Carrara marble sat in a field, a large gash scarring its side. It had been abandoned and forgotten, discarded and left to the elements. Today, that same piece of marble stands in a massive quarter dome, resting on a tall pedestal. Visited by millions, the abandoned, scarred stone was transformed into one of the world's greatest masterpieces.

In 1501, Michelangelo won a commission from the Florentine elders to work on the huge flawed block of marble. Other Florentine sculptors assumed the block would break under the strain of the huge gouge in its side. Yet Michelangelo was able to see behind the ruined surface something that no one else could see. With chisel and mallet, he worked around the flaw. Weeks, months, and years passed, as the master hammered and hewed the scarred stone, until finally there emerged from under his skillful hands the figure of a man which was said to be so perfect that it lacked only life itself.

After four years of painstaking carving, Michelangelo was able to release the beautiful image of "David" from flawed marble. In doing so he transformed the block rejected by others into the most striking sculpture in Florence. Davids eyes are watchful...the veins in his hands and arms reveal his strength...a stone rests in his right hand, his body, seems a reservoir of energy, standing poised for action.

When asked how he accomplished such an incredible transformation, Michelangelo said that "David" was already in the piece of marble.... he merely removed everything that wasn't "David", including the flaw.

In the same way that Michelangelo saw "David" in a block of stone, then chiseled away the flaw and the excess until David appeared, envision yourself, your life as God wishes it to be, and remove everything that is not true to that image. In doing so, you will discover that inside every person, even the scarred ones, there is a masterpiece waiting to be brought to life by the hand of the Master.

“..being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 1:6

Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp

See this as a flash movie