Phideas the Greek Sculptor ~ Being faithful even when others can't see you

One of the greatest sculptors of all time was the Greek sculptor Phideas. Once he was sculpting an enormous statue. He was spending many days working on the minutest details of the back of the head of a particular statue. The statue was to stand some forty feet tall but the back of the head would be up in the apex of the front of a building. No one would ever see the back of the head.

So when many more days continued to pass by the people started to mock Phideas. They told him how foolish he was to spend so much time on an area of his statue that nobody would ever see.
Finally a man approached Phideas and asked him, “Why on earth are you spending so much time on the back of the statue’s head, no one will ever see it?” To this Phideas replied, “God will see it.”

COMMENTARY

I believe in the original story his actual response was the Gods will see it, but the meaning is the same. How few are there today that hold the same attitude as Phideas. Many think that when they are away from their peers or those who can hold them accountable that they can do whatever they please. I too have been guilty of this. In reality it is to God, who sees and knows everything, that we shall stand accountable to.

I believe that God is so immensely pleased with us when we are faithful in those moments. He is always watching us, not as an angry God waiting to punish us, but as a loving Father waiting to bless us.
The bible talks about how David when he was just a boy killed a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. Most grown men would have run away and said, “Good luck sheep, I’m outta here!” I also believe that when the Lord saw these heroic actions of the boy David he knew he would make a great leader over His sheep, Israel.

What have you done in those instances in which you could do a brave or noble deed and nobody would know except God? What about in those moments of temptation when you could supposedly get away with a sin?

Keep us faithful, keep us pure,
Keep us evermore Thine own!
Help, O help us to endure,
Fit us for Thy promised crown.



APPLICATION

Always be faithful to God, especially in those moments when it seems as if no one will notice or care. Like Phideas you can say to yourself, God sees. I also recommend that you find someone or a select few to be accountable to.

It’s easy for many to put on a false exterior of faithfulness when they are around those they believe will care. But, many times, the toughest tests come when no one we know is around.

Yet we often may think to ourselves, “No one will have to know about this sinful act, I can easily get away with this.” Just remember, you may fool the whole world but you will never fool God. In his justice, the double-minded person will end up paying for their indiscretions one way or the other.

J. Lawrence Finley

Mudsplash ~We have all fallen short of the glory of God

One day a young man was heading out to his first day on the job as a waiter. It was a fine restaurant and all the waiters had to have a clean, well pressed white shirt.

As he headed out to the bus stop it was dark and raining. Just as he hit the curb a car came by and he was splashed. He felt a couple of drops hit his face. He thought he might have to go in and get another shirt but as he looked down at his shirt, in the darkness, he didn’t see any stains and proceeded to the bus stop.

As he came closer to the light at the bus stop he looked at his shirt again, he noticed a small spot or two, but thought they wouldn’t be noticeable.

Once he reached the bus stop and stood under the bright street light, he realized his shirt was filthy. It had several mud stains. He had to rush home and change.

COMMENTARY

The truth is that the majority of us who call ourselves Christians think were pretty clean overall. We do our best to treat others as we would have them treat us. We are honest at home and work. We may even attend church and help others.

But according to the Bible, however, we are all filthy compared to the purity and holiness of our God. When Isaiah, one of the greatest of all prophets, saw the Lord he said, “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” ~ Isaiah 6:5

Later Isaiah also said, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” ~ Isaiah 64:6

Regarding what level of righteousness we need to obtain to enter heaven Jesus said, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:20

So what does it take to stand pure, clean and righteous in the light of our holy God? Like the old song says, nothing but the blood of Jesus! Paul tells us in the book of Romans, “…There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…” (Romans 3:22-25). It is through our faith in Christ alone, that we are saved.

The sad thing is that so many people who call themselves Christians in the world today tend to look down on others who are not, as least in their minds, as worthy as them. The truth is that we are all as guilty as the righteous man or woman who devotes their life to the ministry of Christ as to the stubborn heathen who live a life of sin.

One day when the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, was riding in his horse and buggy he noticed a criminal by the side of the road in the stocks. He asked his driver to pull over. He got out and asked his driver if he knew what the difference was between him and the criminal. The driver said, “You’re a holy man of God and he’s a lowly criminal. To this Sprurgeon replied, “No, the only difference between that man and me is the grace of God.”

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With Joy shall I lift up my head

His spotless robe the same appears,
When ruined nature sinks in fears;
No age can change its glorious hue;
Its glory is forever new.

Count Zinzendorf

APPLICATION

Never treat others as though they are superior or inferior to you, and don’t let others treat you as though you are inferior or superior to them.

Be humble. Don’t look down on others if they have not obtained your level of righteousness. No matter whom you are or what you have done, if it wasn’t for your faith in Christ, standing under the light of God’s glory, you would also realize your great need to run back home and change your shirt. So put your faith in Christ and not in your works, this can greatly change the way you treat other people and the location of your eternal home.

J. Lawrence Finley