In 1495, Duke Ludovico of Milan asked the Florentine artist Leonardo da Vinci to portray the dramatic scene of Jesus’ last supper with His disciples as they gathered in the upper room before His crucifixion. The scene was to be painted on a large wall of the dining hall at Santa Maria delle Crazie monastery in Milan. Da Vinci, then 43 years old and already famous as a painter, sculptor and architect, agreed to take on the assignment.
Working slowly and with great care for detail, he spent 3 years completing the painting. The disciples were grouped in threes, two groups on either side of the figure of Christ, who sat at the center of the table (refer picture above). His arms stretched before Him. In His right hand He held a wine cup, painted with marvelous realism. At last the painting was ready, and da Vinci called in a friend to see it.
“Give me your honest opinion,” da Vinci said.
“It’s wonderful,” the friend told him. “That cup is so real I cannot keep my eyes off it.”
Da Vinci immediately took a brush and drew it across the sparkling cup. “If it affects you that way it must not remain,” he exclaimed. “Nothing shall distract attention from the figure of Christ.”
This year – New Year 2014 – never let anything distract your attention from Christ. Not the desire for wealth or money. Not for prestige or for your name’s glory. Not for the sake of ‘love’ or in the name of unity and compromise. If anything distract your faith, devotion and attention from Christ, take a brush and paint “the cup” away. We must keep “our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and our “thoughts are fixed on [Him]” (Isaiah 26:3). Happy New Year ‘Word Speaks Today’ readers! God bless you all.
THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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