245. Christ of the Lost
On my living room wall is a picture, titled “Christ of the Lost.” It’s interesting because when you first see it, it looks like an aqua background, some black lines, maybe a recognizable street light in one corner—but what is it?
I used it once as a children’s sermon (and these times with the children are also times with the adults). I told them the title of the picture and said, “Can you see Jesus in this picture?” They leaned forward, looking intently.
I held it up so adults could see it too, and said, “Let’s all of us look—Can you see the Christ?” It was quiet as people tried and tried to make sense of the lines in the painting. The children were shaking their heads no—that they couldn’t see it. And suddenly a man in the back of the sanctuary started down the aisle saying loudly, “I see him—I see Jesus—I see the Christ.”
He came all the way to the front, sat down on the front pew with the children, and carefully showed them until they each could see. He pointed out the lines that made up Jesus’ face, and praying hands. He showed the children the very few people huddled around the lamp light. Throughout the congregation adults were nodding that they could see too.
It’s interesting—once you see, you can’t go back to not seeing again.
