Seeing Beyond the Stone

"Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." ~ Michelangelo


Michelangelo once said, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."  We all have slabs of stone or marble in our lives.  On the outside, they don't appear to have much value.  Anyone who creates understands that the true value is what's beyond the stone.  It may take a lifetime of carving to uncover the masterpiece, whether that slab of rock is something we are looking at in the outside world or in the mirror.

You have been given a precious gift, to see something within yourself or in others that nobody else can see.  Your age doesn't matter.  Where you live is not important.  Maybe your whole life you have been trying to discover the meaning of your existence.  Perhaps you fooled yourself into thinking you found the solution in your job or in your role as a parent.  What happens when that layoff notice finds it's way to your mailbox or when the children grow up and move away?  Does your life suddenly lose it's meaning?

I challenge you to look deeper into the stone that's in front of you.  Look beyond the surface.  Take out the chisel and chip away.  Do you see an angel in the marble that wants to be set free?  Maybe this angel is a neighbor that needs a little extra encouragement or a lost friend that needs a companion in hard times?

Today is a good day to chisel.  The world is waiting to see what you create.  All you have to do is see beyond the stone.